20 November 2015

Um, that's Fairbairn, not Faibairn, Mr Signwriter

| Charlotte
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Major sign

UPDATE: Thanks to @Giraffe_VCM on Twitter, we received this image of the sign being updated at around 8.30am the day after we first published this story.

Fairbairn sign update

UPDATE: A spokesperson for ACT Minister for Roads and Parking Mick Gentleman let us know late this afternoon that staff are working to rectify the misspelled sign situation ASAP.

RiotACT took our first trip down the $288 million Majura Parkway today and learnt three things.

Firstly, it’s a smooth ride with some great views of farmland. The horses between the parkway and Ikea are particularly pretty, and the dedicated cycle path running parallel to the dual carriageway road looks so good I might have to dust off my rusting bike.

Secondly, there aren’t many places to turn around if you decide you want to head back to the airport rather than continue on to Gungahlin or Goulburn. There are a couple of signs flagging upcoming opportunities to cross the median strip and head the other way, but when you reach the turning bays, they’re blocked off with signs warning that they are only for emergency vehicles.

Thirdly, as you see from the picture, the ACT Government needs to replace one of its brand new signs because of a spelling error. Whoops.

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Crazed_Loner11:44 pm 20 Nov 15

Don’t worry, they’ll drop the speed to suit the pushbikes.

Don’t blame the pushbikes – actually, the authorities will drop it to suit the road ‘safety’ zealots in their midst who are worried that someone, somewhere is enjoying themselves too much driving along at a sensible speed.

Given how many people mispronounce it, I’m surprised that he didn’t spell it “Fairburn”.

rommeldog56 said :

wildturkeycanoe said :

Charlotte Harper said :

The official website says: “A dedicated on-road cycling lane is now open as well as an off-road shared use path from Fairbairn Avenue all the way to the Federal Highway Interchange”
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/roads-transport/major-construction-projects/city,-inner-north-and-inner-south/majura-parkway/about-the-project

Why would you want to cycle in a 100km/h zone, on a major transport route for semis and B-doubles, when there is a safe alternative just next to it? I get scared just passing trucks in a car, why would any sane person allow them to come from behind you at three to four times your speed?

The long & the short of it is, because they can.

Its legal. Its easier to make some vehicle driver responsible for their safety rather than take on that responsibility themselves by using the non road bike path next to it.

There is a cycle path on the 100kmh limited Monaro Highway south of the Majura Parkway. Rarely do I see any cyclists using it. Only a thrill-seeker would want to try it (but it’s still legal).

wildturkeycanoe said :

Why would you want to cycle in a 100km/h zone, on a major transport route for semis and B-doubles, when there is a safe alternative just next to it? I get scared just passing trucks in a car, why would any sane person allow them to come from behind you at three to four times your speed?

Since the on-road cycle lanes do double duty as an emergency shoulder, I can only imagine the cost of bicycle signage and stencils on the lane as part of the whole project to be extremely minor.

As to the why, clearly some people have different perceptions and/or sensitivities to risk.

It think you’ll find that most of the cyclists who do favour the on-road cycle lanes over the off-road path will be into sport-cycling. They will likely be experienced with cycling on roads. They will probably choose to do so for training outcomes; the road being straighter and more level than the off-road shared path, and statistically less likely to contain pedestrians which could interrupt an interval effort.

The off-road path is provided for the majority of people who ride bikes for transport or recreation and thus will not factor the sport-cycling motivators into their route decisions.

rommeldog56 said :

wildturkeycanoe said :

Charlotte Harper said :

The official website says: “A dedicated on-road cycling lane is now open as well as an off-road shared use path from Fairbairn Avenue all the way to the Federal Highway Interchange”
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/roads-transport/major-construction-projects/city,-inner-north-and-inner-south/majura-parkway/about-the-project

Why would you want to cycle in a 100km/h zone, on a major transport route for semis and B-doubles, when there is a safe alternative just next to it? I get scared just passing trucks in a car, why would any sane person allow them to come from behind you at three to four times your speed?

The long & the short of it is, because they can.

Its legal. Its easier to make some vehicle driver responsible for their safety rather than take on that responsibility themselves by using the non road bike path next to it.

Soon as a driver starts the engine they are responsible to all other users and pedestrians, not just cyclists. What’s your point? You saying that other users don’t make vehicle drivers responsible for their safety? You mean if I’m in a truck I can just change lanes without checking?

wildturkeycanoe said :

Charlotte Harper said :

The official website says: “A dedicated on-road cycling lane is now open as well as an off-road shared use path from Fairbairn Avenue all the way to the Federal Highway Interchange”
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/roads-transport/major-construction-projects/city,-inner-north-and-inner-south/majura-parkway/about-the-project

Why would you want to cycle in a 100km/h zone, on a major transport route for semis and B-doubles, when there is a safe alternative just next to it? I get scared just passing trucks in a car, why would any sane person allow them to come from behind you at three to four times your speed?

The long & the short of it is, because they can. Its legal. Its easier to make some vehicle driver responsible for their safety rather than take on that responsibility themselves by using the non road bike path next to it.

wildturkeycanoe said :

[Why would you want to cycle in a 100km/h zone, on a major transport route for semis and B-doubles, when there is a safe alternative just next to it? I get scared just passing trucks in a car, why would any sane person allow them to come from behind you at three to four times your speed?

Don’t worry, they’ll drop the speed to suit the pushbikes.

bd84 said :

It probably would have been more sensible if they built a dedicated access road from the Majura Pkwy to/from Majura Park/IKEA take the pressure off the surrounding roads and for accessing the service station. No surprise that it hasn’t happened yet because that would involve the government actually planning something properly…

I’m guessing you’re ranting about poor planning without having looked at the original DA? The current arrangement is an interim measure – eventually the road you drive in off the roundabout will extend across to the Parkway, although it only allows for an exit off the Parkway to Ikea for Southbound traffic, and no entry onto the Parkway from Ikea.

Holden Caulfield8:53 am 17 Nov 15

gooterz said :

Do they have on-road cycle-ways as well as a dedicated ones?

Yes.

From the Fairbairn Ave end if you miss getting on the dedicated cycle path you’re stuck on the on-road cycle lane until you get to Tambreet Street.

As for not having many turning points in a car, let’s not forget the current section of Majura Parkway is less than 12km long, even less to Tambreet Street. There’s no need to panic, it’s only going to cost you a couple of minutes to get to a safe (and legal) place to turn around.

wildturkeycanoe7:07 am 17 Nov 15

Charlotte Harper said :

The official website says: “A dedicated on-road cycling lane is now open as well as an off-road shared use path from Fairbairn Avenue all the way to the Federal Highway Interchange”
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/roads-transport/major-construction-projects/city,-inner-north-and-inner-south/majura-parkway/about-the-project

Why would you want to cycle in a 100km/h zone, on a major transport route for semis and B-doubles, when there is a safe alternative just next to it? I get scared just passing trucks in a car, why would any sane person allow them to come from behind you at three to four times your speed?

bd84 said :

T
It probably would have been more sensible if they built a dedicated access road from the Majura Pkwy to/from Majura Park/IKEA take the pressure off the surrounding roads and for accessing the service station. No surprise that it hasn’t happened yet because that would involve the government actually planning something properly… Perhaps they could done this by saving money by building one separated bike lane one each side of the road rather than wasting money by building the path running along the road too. A total of 4 lanes is not needed..

They have it is called Fairbairn Ave, how ever you want to spell it and of course the old Majura Road

Besides bit hard to plan when the largest developer out there can do what ever they want because their land is exempt from planning control to allow it to develop as an airport, but gives a loop hole to allow them to develop what ever they want regardless of central planning.

And OP why on earth do you want U turns on 100km/h road? If you have gone the wrong way or decided you don’t want to head north, use the turn off bd84 mentioned, it is about halfway along. It scares me to think you would even contemplate doing a u turn across a median on a road with a high speed limit.

Simon Corbell has put out a media release apparently referring to “Kanangra Court” as “Kangara Court” …

I’d just like to jump in first here and blame the Gubmint becuase:
– this is a sign of their incompetence
– there was no consultation
– they did this on purpose
– political correctness gone mad
– the nanny state
– this wouldn’t have happened if that nice Mr Abbott was in charge
– this will confuse the drivers and it will be the cyclists’ own fault of they get killed
– this is a waste of rate payers’ funds
– And it’s you know, the vibe.

The northbound advance directional sign on Drakeford Dr approaching Taverner St has Taverner spelt with TAVENER.

Do they have on-road cycle-ways as well as a dedicated ones?

Charlotte Harper9:29 pm 16 Nov 15

The official website says: “A dedicated on-road cycling lane is now open as well as an off-road shared use path from Fairbairn Avenue all the way to the Federal Highway Interchange”
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/roads-transport/major-construction-projects/city,-inner-north-and-inner-south/majura-parkway/about-the-project

There’s an exit from Majura Pkwy onto Tambreet St where you can turn right back onto the Parkway or go onto old Majura Road. Else of you miss that, there’s a signalised u-turn lane from the right hand lane near the Federal Hwy back onto the southbound lane for the gun clubs.

It probably would have been more sensible if they built a dedicated access road from the Majura Pkwy to/from Majura Park/IKEA take the pressure off the surrounding roads and for accessing the service station. No surprise that it hasn’t happened yet because that would involve the government actually planning something properly… Perhaps they could done this by saving money by building one separated bike lane one each side of the road rather than wasting money by building the path running along the road too. A total of 4 lanes is not needed..

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