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No 36, October 2004
Editor: Catherine Stuart
Production: Keith Griffin
The views expressed in Chain Mail articles are those of the authors only and do not necessarily represent either the common views shared by a majority of Bike North members, or Bike North policy as formulated by the Bike North Executive Committee.
Poor Planning Makes a Cycleway Nightmare
Efforts to ensure a quality cycleway alongside the Gore Hill Freeway as part of the Lane Cove Tunnel and freeway widening project over the last few months have been trying to say the least.
While a cycleway is mandated as part of the project, decisions taken by the consortium have often resulted in issue laden proposals. As this cycleway will replace the existing direct, reasonably level bike lane that is already available and used both by commuter and local cyclists, we believe this cycleway should not compromise on these criteria for equity reasons alone. At the same time, this cycleway will form part of a proposed regional bicycle route between the Sydney Harbour Bridge and both Chatswood and North Ryde. As such this facility will cater for a far broader and growing group of cyclists due to its separation from the road environment. Confl ict issues with pedestrians and other cyclists will arise unless the quality is top notch. Issues abound in the Naremburn area due to geography, previous Gore Hill Freeway works, existing bicycle and pedestrian routes and a fairly vocal and organised group of residents who were never happy about the original Gore Hill Freeway and now fear once again for their loss of privacy. Several Bike North members are also part of that community and maintain a tense truce as we try to work together for win-win solutions. The recent discovery that the consortium has plans for a worksite at Willoughby Road for cycleway construction, with the intention to take out scarce parking facilities during construction at a vulnerable local shopping centre, has placed that truce under intense pressure but once again we are attempting to work together for our common objectives.
To date, plans for the cycleway in that area are poorly thought out and we have made suggestions for improvement. We then experience great frustration when the consortium presents solutions under the guise of consultation and say it is too late to make changes now, when we have been asking for on-site meetings for months to discuss alternatives to no avail.
ALTERNATIVE ROUTES
Alternative routes have been devised and signposted through the Artarmon Industrial Area, Lane Cove and Artarmon Residential areas in place of the existing bike lanes which are now unusable due to construction activity.
These alternatives are not good as both routes are quite hilly and the westward route necessitates mixing with feral motor activity in the Industrial Area. We have lobbied extensively to use these routes for a short time only, but to date with little success. It is simply easier to push cyclists out of the way, sight unseen, for the whole project period rather than attempt to properly manage our use of the routes, minimising inconvenience as happens with the motorist.
Hopefully by the time you read this, the consortium will have agreed to bicycle use continuing on the eastern end where works are not scheduled to start until late 2005. More diffi cult will be managing an early return to the completed shared pathway.
If you fi nd the alternatives unpleasant we urge you to complain either by ringing 1800 009 280 or emailing community.enquiries@LCT.optusincite.com . These complaints are registered and if there are many perhaps they may start to take this issue seriously.