OK I waithed like five minutes fo rthe tidal wave of anti-bike venom to be unleashed. Must be a slow morning.

I fail to see the problem here. One lane for cars for about 500m. Big deal.

As far as the whole bikes on the road thing goes, it’s just another tired agrgument that will allow the pro and anti bike crown wear their ignorance and stupidity on their sleeve for a day. The reality is, that bikes are just another vehicle using the road. If you drive a car and you genuinely believe that you’re going to have trouble mixing it up with bikes on the road then the only course of action open to you is to hand in your license and sell your car, because you’re not competent enough to drive safely. If you ride a bike and can’t do it sensibly and legally then you’re probably going to end up donating some of your organs.

they’re about to do the same idiotic thing on Ginninderra Drive between Coulter drive and William Webb drive where it crosses the dam on the lake.

3 lanes across the dam has worked well for 20 years – from 4 lanes as you approach the dam and where traffic filters in from William Slim Drive and off to William Webb into mckellar. From Mckellar traffic filters in at the lights onto 3 lanes over the dam where traffic then sorts itself into one lane going left on to Coulter and 2 going further west into Belconnen.

Now some bright has come on the scene and right enxt to the bike path crossing the lake, the preliminary paint dots are down to create a lane wide bike track on the road and have only 2 car lanes and a small slip lane up at the coulter drive lights to go left – And nothing was broken before! It all worked. And thers a perfefctly good bike path right beside the road. Bikes that used the road had no problems before and they are a handful at peak time, IF you see someone.

Are the inmates running the sanitarium?? Who’s in charge of these morons?

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

> In 13yrs living in the Creek, I cannot ever recall seeing a bike riding on the road in that particular section, because 1) there\’s too many cars, and 2) there\’s a bike path OFF the road immediately to the left.

Hmmmm…well, in my 37 years living in the Creek (5 of them ON Streeton Drive) I’ve seen plebnty of bikes on that section of road…in fact, I see bikes there every day, often I’m one of them. So you musn’t be very observant is all I can say.

That said, this particular change does seem odd, to say the least. It creates more problems than it solves from what I’ve witnessed so far. I’m a keen rider & am usually all for measures to make my commute better, but this one doesn’t work in my opinion. Still, I’ll live with it. It’s really not that big a deal.

Is it not a bit redundant when there’s an off road bike path anyway?

A bike path that starts mysteriously, goes for 500 metres, and then ends just as mysteriously.

No lack of these in Canberra. There needs to be some serious research done into making the bike paths and bike lanes actually meet up. Southern Cross Drive is particularly bad.

I’m rather annoyed at this new bike lane.The 2 lanes were great with the left lane turning into coolaman court and the right lane free for ongoing drivers. Now everyone is on the brakes and there is no steady flow of traffic. I also ride a bike yet you would never catch me on a bike lane, I value my life to much and happily stick to the paths.

> Is it not a bit redundant when there’s an off road bike path anyway?

Not at all. Bike paths are fine for recreational riding, often not so good for commuting though….the tend to wind all over the place & often don’t go where you need to go.

> I also ride a bike yet you would never catch me on a bike lane, I value my life to much and happily stick to the paths.

I don’t get this. I use the bike lanes all the time…never had a problem at all.

So here we go – it will now be us bike riders fault about Gov decisions, and we will bare the brunt of angry motorists frustrations. I foresee another hot cup of coffee thrown at me with no provocation in the coming year.

they’re about to do the same idiotic thing on Ginninderra Drive between Coulter drive and William Webb drive where it crosses the dam on the lake.

GOOD – about bloody time. It’s very risky business for both cyclists and motorists sharing road where there are “on again, off again” cycle lanes. It’s good they are finally completing the lane. Now hopefully they’ll do the same on the other side of the road heading back towards Belco. Thats the highest risk part of my commute each day.

I’m resisting as best I can to even reply to the bike lane next to bike path comment. God give me strength!

I don’t generally have a problem with bike lanes, but surely turning a perfectly good two lane road into a one lane road for 500 metres, and then back into two lanes, thereby causing delays inmerging, is a ridiculous idea.

Especially given the fact that the road is always going to carry a far greater percentage of cars that it ever will bikes.

Why not build a new bike path next to it. Or widen the existing road a few metres.

> Why not build a new bike path next to it. Or widen the existing road a few metres.

I’m guessing $$$$$$$.

This is one of the stupidest things ive seen (have to drive this road every day).
It causes an uneccessary bottleneck for no reason on one of the busiest roads in Weston Creek.
The result is either going to be a car accident at the merge or a dead cyclist.

First up before I get accused of being anti bike….

I don’t own a car and bicyle is my main form of transportation.

What a stupid thing to do. This whole concept of putting bike lanes in Canberra onto roads is moronic, especially when it involves the loss of a car lane and even more ridiculous if there is already a bike path next to the road.

No doubt this cost a fortune and will be money that should have been spent fixing up the bike paths that most cyclists use.

I must say I am surprised that an entire car lane was converted into a green lane. As cyclists, we only need a lane a metre or less wide. We have the luxury of wide lanes in this fine town – why not create a more narrow bike lane and then adjust the other to car lanes by the difference?

Regardless…bring on he new aggression, it seems inevitable

> I also ride a bike yet you would never catch me on a bike lane, I value my life to much and happily stick to the paths.
>I don’t get this. I use the bike lanes all the time…never had a problem at all.

You are lucky, In the past I have had a driver drive into the bike line to “scare” me and
then proceeded to honk at me. The crazy nut job! Also there is so much glass on the bike paths so I gave it up.

Funny looking intersection but everyone seems to miss the point that this is an intersection with a long history of T-bone accidents. Changing the left lane to a bike lane has also slightly reduced the width of the right lane thus reducing travel speeds to lets say… 80kmh.It also has allowed the stop line for vehicles coming out of Namajiura Dr to be moved forward and now there is only one lane of traffic to cross.

IMHO the Government usually panders to the cycling community however in this instance I reckon they have used the bike lane as an traffic engineering device . It’s a brave cyclist that thinks that some green paint will protect them from a car, truck, bus or motorcycle that wants to turn left at this or any other intersection.

Just going to put it our there,
Sure there are benifits riding bike. If anyone cyclist should know even though you are improving your fitness level, if you ride on roads close the the fumes that cars give out, surly its not so good for your health! actually its not, it was said in the Australian that a cyclist who rides on the road in peak hour, is just as unhealthy as a pack a day smoker. This is caused by all the toxic fumes the cars give out!

So why are you on the road.

> actually its not, it was said in the Australian that a cyclist who rides on the road in peak hour, is just as unhealthy as a pack a day smoker

In Canberra traffic? I doubt it.

Thats it. if cyclists aren’t going to use the cycle paths next to the road, then I am going to drive on them… Someone might as well use them.

I came across this yesterday and thought WTF? – This on-road bike lane is unecessary because it meets no obvious requirement and will only confuse motorists. I cycle (a lot) and this lane could be part of my commute or regular jaunts to and from Stromlo – but most likely it will not because…

* The bike lane sort of starts in the middle of nowhere – how do I get on it?
* The bike lane ends in the middle of nowhere – I end up where? If it went up to Hindmarsh Dr. that could help.
* The bike lane appears just before the 2 car lanes merge at 80km/h into 1 – I don’t really want to be there too.
* Just after merging most of the traffic would look to take a left turn over the bike lane towards Weston/Cooleman Court – I’d be praying the driver knew I was on their left after they spent time concentrating on their right during the merging.
* The bike lane is quite wide and many drivers may simply use it as an exit lane for the upcoming left turn towards Weston/Cooleman Court – expect the unexpected.
* The well used bikepath from Cotter Rd. avoids all road traffic by going under Streeton Dr. and round the back of Cooleman Court towards Woden and beyond – this serves a purpose.
* My experience tells me many drivers will not be able to concentrate on all the aspects of this now extremely busy newly marked roadway – danger!

As a cyclist I cannot see how this new bike lane improves things and compared to traffic control around other on-road bike lanes it appears to be not well thought out and therefore dangerous.

Note: I have spent a bit of time typing this – I started typing back at post #3 and will now have to go and catch up.

@ a121212: dude, that must be the biggest bottom of barrel scrape I have ever heard off. Excuse me why I wipe my desk after snorting coffee all over the place from laughter. Please, go on and continue to “just putting” there pearls “out there”. Maybe you live in a different “Canberra”. I think you might be on a site related to the one in the ACT.

a121212 said :

It was said in the Australian that a cyclist who rides on the road in peak hour, is just as unhealthy as a pack a day smoker. This is caused by all the toxic fumes the cars give out!

That simply isn’t true, you made it up. You won’t get anywhere just telling fibs like that.

On the broader question about planning this seems to be a pretty bad example. This doesnt seem to be part of some larger plan and doesn’t look to have been well thought out.

The reason that most people with bikes ride on roads rather than bike paths is because roads are better maintained, so less lumps from tree roots and pot holes than bike paths, and because the bike paths are covered in broken glass which never gets cleaned up. Similarly, they tend to take rather round abour routes which make a difference when you’re riding it twice a day everyday!

The same utter, utter, utter stupidity has just taken place on Launceston Street, Woden between Yamba Drive and Melrose Drive.

Those I’ve spoken to are generally in agreement with making cycling easier, but NOT on-road like this, and not at the expense of creating traffic bottlenecks.

This is madness. I know this is not the fault of individual cyclists; rather it is the result of mindless lobbying by a few of their spokespeople (spokespeople indeed!), and a stupid, stupid government (think unused bike racks on buses) that pander to this lobbying.

The end result is that I am getting to the point where, if given a vote, I would demand all cyclists get off the streets and onto the bikepaths. That would then swing the balance back the other way.

It’s clearly a measure designed to make it easier to leave Cooleman Court via the Namatjira Drive exit. The bike lane just seems to be an afterthought when the lane merging made some extra space.

I agree frontrow. That intersection was dangerous.

It was impossible to see oncoming traffic in the ‘inside’ lane unless you were in a high vehicle, but now there is a clear view of all southbound traffic.

Posts #24 and #16 seem pretty good reasons for the new markings – it makes more sense to me than anything else does.

I also ike how these merged lanes on Streeton Dr. turn back into 2 lanes just before the lights at the Streeton/Hindmarsh intersection and then merge back into 1 lane after the lights.

tylersmayhem said :

GOOD – about bloody time. It’s very risky business for both cyclists and motorists sharing road where there are “on again, off again” cycle lanes. It’s good they are finally completing the lane. Now hopefully they’ll do the same on the other side of the road heading back towards Belco. Thats the highest risk part of my commute each day.

I’m resisting as best I can to even reply to the bike lane next to bike path comment. God give me strength!

take as much time to gather strength as you need – there’s no bike lane there before that at all and as others have pointed out, what’s the point of a lane wide bike lane starting in the middle of nowhere and finisihing the same way – as this belco one is a work in progress, let’s see what they do then resume debate.

Cameron said :

Is it not a bit redundant when there’s an off road bike path anyway?

The lycra-Le Tour-wannabe-set are too good for bike paths. As if they’re going to sully their overly expensive equipment with suburban Malvern Star riders. :p

> The lycra-Le Tour-wannabe-set are too good for bike paths. As if they’re going to sully their overly expensive equipment with suburban Malvern Star riders. :p

It’s all about speed & effeciency. I use bike paths when they’re going my way, otherwise I use the roads…even (shock! horror!) the bike lanes.

Oh…& I’m riding the Tour De France course in July.

If you would read all of my comments Grump, you might see a little tidbit relating to the width of bike lanes. Oh yes, and the pointlessness of “on again, off again bike lanes”. Grab 5 minutes for a re-read.