Road test: problems and solutions for our new bikeways

1. Problem: Getting on to it southbound. Riders have to cross busy Bourke Road, mount the footpath and then the cycle path.  There are no directional arrows on cycle path, confusing for first-time riders going contraflow to traffic.

Solution: Wait for traffic to clear and cross the road. Paint directional arrows on cycle path at all intersections.

2. Problem: Car turns across cycleway from far lane, nearly hitting bike.

Solution: Continue green surface painting across all intersections. Paint “Caution” signs on bike lanes each way. Educate drivers and riders.

3. Problem: Cycleway section ends before Huntley Street southbound and footpath becomes a shared path. White icons on white concrete are almost invisible. South of Huntley Street there are no shared path icons so walkers entering from Huntley are not alerted. Warning: this is a deceptively complex and dangerous intersection with turn arrows feeding heavy traffic west towards Sydney Park Road and the Princes Highway.

Solution: Cyclists slow down. You must give way to pedestrians. [Two cyclists here rode past on the road, ignoring the shared path.] Repaint icons white on a green square, north and south of intersection. Cyclists stop and wait for the Walk signal. Separated bike lanes resume south of Huntley St.

4. Problem: Deep unpaved insets into footpath around tree roots, leaving only one lane-width for two-way bike traffic and walkers.

Solution: pave with porous material.

5. Problem: Bus stops send cycle paths back onto footpath with very tight turns and narrow lanes, dangerous for passing cyclists who can’t see each other approaching because of advertising on bus stop. Pedestrian crossing sign partially obscured by branch.

Solution: Tight turns are meant to slow riders as walkers must cross here to access bus stops, so paint “Slow” signs on bike lanes approaching bus stops. Clear branch from in front of sign.

6. Problem: Speed hump on Bourke near Gardeners road causes many cars to swing onto the cycleway as there is no median strip. Truck skid marks on cycleway tell an ominous story.

Solution: Install speed humps (if necessary?) only adjacent to median strips

7. Problem: Getting off the cycleway southbound at Gardeners Road to access left lanes and continue journey south on Bourke Road. The only options are to risk death crossing busy road or wait for two pedestrian crossing signals across Gardeners and Bourke.

Solution: Take your time, or re-enter traffic lanes at a previous intersection and don’t use the cycleway.

8. Problem: Truck loading on cycleway.

Solution: Book ’em!

9. Problem: Northbound at Wyndham Street, shared footpath has no kerb ramps and no shared path icons on the north side. Intersection very busy and dangerous, bike route unclear.

Solution: Signage directing cyclists left into Wyndham St to cross at existing driveways, then direct them to the right on the other side to re-enter Bourke Road.

by Michael Gormly