[anandhsub]

Probably a very late realization but I didn't realize the bollards in the bus lane were so flexible until yesterday.

I was at the ISRO junction when a bus was trying to take an u turn ( back towards marathalli) and I stopped expecting the bus will have to reverse to complete the U turn when he just coolly went over the bollards and it came right back after bus finished the U turn. I have once seen a truck driver reversing back to complete the maneuver. I guess he didn't know the bollards were flexible.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

Probably a very late realization but I didn't realize the bollards in the bus lane were so flexible until yesterday.

I was at the ISRO junction when a bus was trying to take an u turn ( back towards marathalli) and I stopped expecting the bus will have to reverse to complete the U turn when he just coolly went over the bollards and it came right back after bus finished the U turn. I have once seen a truck driver reversing back to complete the maneuver. I guess he didn't know the bollards were flexible.

Over a decade ago, the same buses ensured all the bollards over a few weeks were bent and nicely flattened and stuck with the asphalt on Bellary road when they had initiated bus lane system.

[kavensri]

I had to encounter couple of terrible traffic jam on last night while returning from my Davangere trip. The first one at Goraguntepalya junction where the jam was present for more than 4 kms (and google maps was showing 37mins). After passing this jam, I had to take outer ring road towards KR Puram and there was a complete standstill of around 30mins at Hebbal junction. At both the places, I did not see any vehicle getting broken down or anything else that could have been the source of the jam?

[Meph1st0]

Originally Posted by kavensri

After passing this jam, I had to take outer ring road towards KR Puram and there was a complete standstill of around 30mins at Hebbal junction. At both the places, I did not see any vehicle getting broken down or anything else that could have been the source of the jam?

Last week during the daytime police had sealed off the same stretch of ORR for some VIP to pass through. This also appears like a similar incident. The ORR from after KR Puram all the way to the airport is almost free-flowing, not sure what is the need to waste so much manpower for a few extra minutes.

[adisan]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

...I didn't realize the bollards in the bus lane were so flexible until yesterday.

Same with me until I saw a truck going over them near Silk Board in the service lane.

On the other hand, once a cab went happily in the bus lane until he landed up behind a parked truck delivering material. probably for the Metro work. He seemed to be wondering how far he would have to reverse. Probably he was also unaware of the flexibility of the bollards.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by kavensri

I had to encounter couple of terrible traffic jam on last night while returning from my Davangere trip. The first one at Goraguntepalya junction where the jam was present for more than 4 kms (and google maps was showing 37mins). After passing this jam, I had to take outer ring road towards KR Puram and there was a complete standstill of around 30mins at Hebbal junction. At both the places, I did not see any vehicle getting broken down or anything else that could have been the source of the jam?

What time was this ? I was also returning from Tumkur side and just as I was ascending the up ramp of elevated section there was a truck that had broken down, but due to lower traffic density, it didn't affect us but after about 5 minutes while on the elevated section, traffic came to complete stop with the odd crawl. So between 6 and 6:45 pm we were stuck there. Then traffic started moving again (no sign of what went wrong, I guess it was the Goraguntepalya junction mess).Took the left at Taj Vivanta junction and proceeded on outer ring road, it was manageable till we reached Hebbal signal. My ordeal didn't stop there as I had to drop my friend at Horamavu and there was a village temple festival that caused another traffic jam Reached Horamavu at 8pm.

Edit:looks like you were driving on Friday evening ? Well, my experience was from yesterday (Saturday).

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by NPV

Edit:looks like you were driving on Friday evening ? Well, my experience was from yesterday (Saturday).

Right, mine was on Friday evening.
Previously I had faced the jam at Goraguntepalya junction, but this was the first time I faced the jam at Hebbal junction. But, as pointed out by Meph1st0, it could be possible that there was some VIP movement on that day.

[mankuthimma]

Today ventured into ORR between KR Puram and BTM Layout after long time. The traffic is considerably denser with more cabs on the road, which is a sign that more IT companies are becoming operational.
Traffic flow was smooth, but with few bottlenecks here and there. The metro work has occupied the medians at many places, but while coming back, I saw they have blocked all the crucial exits to Whitefield!!
Normally I take the U turn near Ferns Layout under the flyover to enter Whitefield via Rainbow hospital road. Now that is blocked and the next one under Mahadevapura flyover is closed too. So the only option is to drive all the way till Hyundai showroom, make a U turn there and come all the way back till Mahadevpura! sigh!

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by mankuthimma

Normally I take the U turn near Ferns Layout under the flyover to enter Whitefield via Rainbow hospital road. Now that is blocked and the next one under Mahadevapura flyover is closed too. So the only option is to drive all the way till Hyundai showroom, make a U turn there and come all the way back till Mahadevpura! sigh!

Not really.

Guess you are talking about the flyover in front of total mall. There is u-turn under the flyover as earlier. The only thing now is, to get under the flyover you need to exit to the service road on the left (by cutting through the bus lane) in front of the petrol bunk and then go and take the U-turn. Same with Mahadevapura flyover too. Yes, the middle lane that goes between the flyovers is closed.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Not really.

Guess you are talking about the flyover in front of total mall. There is u-turn under the flyover as earlier. The only thing now is, to get under the flyover you need to exit to the service road on the left (by cutting through the bus lane) in front of the petrol bunk and then go and take the U-turn. Same with Mahadevapura flyover too. Yes, the middle lane that goes between the flyovers is closed.

+1. Also you dont technically need to cut through the bus lane because given the metro construction at the end of the Karthik nagar subway, you are anyway diverted into the bus lane.

It is the same with the Mahadevpura Flyover. It is only the centre exit that has been closed. You can take the exit from ORR opposite EMC and then take the u turn under the flyover and exit back on the service road. The only issue here is that you can rejoin ORR only at the Rainbow Hospital junction where you are stuck with vehicles joining from the Alpine Eco road. It is because of this that I actually prefer going all the way till the Hyundai junction and taking an u turn under there so that I can enter the ORR earlier.

In the stretch between the Mahadevpura Flyover till Rainbow Hospital there are 3 exits from the ORR into the service road but none to enter the ORR. Terrible design as expected from the BBMP..

[gtonsing]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

+1. <Snipped> Terrible design as expected from the BBMP..

Love this last comment - I can almost feel the frustration behind the short sentence

[NPV]

I don't have a rant but just wanted to share my experience of disbelief, shock, awe and happiness from a visit to Whitefield this morning, a never-before experience for me

I had some work on ITPL road near IFB to meet someone at 10am. Just the thought of going to Whitefield around that time brought back scary memories of horrendous traffic from a few years ago (I had quit an earlier job just because of that!). I was planning to start at 8:15am to try and make the commute better and was prepared to wait there to meet the person. My start was delayed and I left home at 9:30 via Suranjan das road-Old Airport road-Kundalahalli, there was traffic but moving along just fine. I reached my destination at 9:50, how cool is that ?
Well, it didn't stop there. On my return, I started at 12:20 taking the Graphite road-Whitefield main road-KR Puram-Tin factory to reach home again in 20 minutes!

[am1m]

Originally Posted by NPV

Well, it didn't stop there. On my return, I started at 12:20 taking the Graphite road-Whitefield main road-KR Puram-Tin factory to reach home again in 20 minutes!

Either your car somehow slipped through a wormhole into an alternate reality where traffic moves in those areas and then slipped back after that stretch in that alternate reality back into this reality/parallel universe.

Or perhaps with the onset of the year end season, people have started taking leave or are just using the work from home option more.

Covering those notorious traffic spots in that time is just not possible otherwise!

[Gnashman]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

+1. Terrible design as expected from the BBMP..

Speaking of, are we the only city where almost all flyovers are separated? By that I mean, all flyovers have two service lanes at the lower level on each side.
Is there a significant benefit to this mode of construction (other than ostensible less disruption of traffic during construction) that I am missing and the civil engineers out here can guide me on?

To the contrary, if the flyover for both directions of traffic were merged, we would lose the middle service lane yes - but very often (for instance at the Kalyan Nagar junction) the middle service lane is shut anyway - but at least we would get 2 proper and whole service lanes on both sides of the flyover. Making the service lanes, more 'serviceable'?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by am1m

Traffic being ok in those notorious spots is not possible otherwise!

Yes, can't imagine that the whole old airport road stretch including Kundalahalli was quick. On the return even the usual suspects - Phoenix market city, Whitefield-Outer ring road junction,
KR Puram-Old Madras road junction near Railway station and then tin factory were all negotiated in 20 minutes. This was a like a T20 game played to perfection