26 February 2013

Canberrans embracing elevated parking on Rudd Street

| johnboy
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elevated parking

Guy has sent in this interesting observation:

The multi squillion dollar elevated bike tracks (or are they parking lanes?) on Rudd St in Civic are now nearly operational. They’ve only taken the best part of a year to complete.

here’s a couple of early adopters…

rudd street

In our story yesterday on this issue bd84 expounded at length in a manner that bears repeating:

#14 bd84
11:15 pm, 25 Feb 13

It has to be one of the worst projects that this joke of a government has signed off on.

Here we have Rudd St. A streets with 10 metre wide footpaths, at least 4 building driveways, a road to more building driveways, a small amount of on street parking, a few more spots for government vehicles and a nice set down areas for the many who dropped a loved one off at work (you know that car pooling thing they were promoting).

Now it still has 10 metre wide footpaths, and an extra 2 metres of “bike paths” on each side, but sans parking and drop off.

Each bike path is wide enough to have 2 way traffic, but why build one when you could build 2! Especially as it was far too difficult to build said paths into the existing footpaths (or they needed to look like they’re doing something).

How many bicycles use Rudd St I hear you ask? Well not many, mostly people going into the buildings and a few students. Far less than the number using Moore St (sans bike path) or Marcus Clarke (with off street bike path).

But they couldn’t stop wasting our money there, they kept going towards northbourne and bunda st. 6 months later and they’re still building! Although maybe if they didnt dig up the same bits of road and path about 4-5 times, they might be done. But we have to get over northbourne, which no doubt their new path will be dug up yet again within a couple of years for the next public transport project, either bus or light rail.

But hey, at least we will have a 12 metre wide footpath/bike path to make it all good!

On a side note, the path isn’t actually finished and operational and the idiots haven’t taken the parking signs, so the cars in the pic aren’t breaking the law..

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troll-sniffer said :

Funny thing is that not a whole lot of people were using the embryonic cycleways in the Netherlands when they were introduced decades ago. No doubt there were hordes of naysayers and other groups of Luddites jumping up and down about the waste of money and the loss of vehicle-only spaces. History is a great teacher if you’re prepared to open your minds just a little.

The troll sniffs damp air.
Luddites jump off their horses
And attack the cars.

guy said :

For about $2 million per kilometre, this bike path should be gold plated, not bitumen and concrete.

I was going to argue that point, but instead I concede!

2.5km of path, at 2m wide and 0.5 microns deep ( Gold Plating = 0.5 microns deep ) where 0.5 microns = 1/2000th of a millimeter.

Equals 2,500,000 cubic millimeters of gold required for plating.

The dimensions of 1kg gold bars from The Perth Mint are 112x52x9 (millimeters) or 52,416 cubic millimeters.

So to gold plate a path as above requires 47.7 1kg bars.

At $1600 an ounce, with 32.148 ounces to a kilo, that’s $51,436.8 per bar.

$2.4m.

Though I still think Green paint is more practical.

Jono said :

Grail said :

… it’s an offence to ride within 10m of an open store or business doorway.

I’d be interested to have you provide a pointer to the legislation which makes that an offence.

I have a memory that there used to be provision similar to that in the road rules in the ACT prior to the change to the Australian Road Rules in 1999, but I’m not aware of anything like that which applies any more.

I remember it as being “within 10m of an open shop”, no mention of business, with neither shop nor open being defined anywhere. Think it was dropped with the 2nd edition of the National Road Rules.
How you could tell if a shop was open from 10m away was another matter.

In my post I did neglect to mention (downside of writing on an iphone) the loading zone for the business on Rudd st that was also removed (no replacement) and the taxi rank closest to the Jolimont bus station also moved for inconvenience of visitors to this city 50m across the road to Moore St, also limiting the very small area that allowed people to drop off/ pick up people for the coaches. But as long as people can’t find a short term carpark, having nowhere to safely stop doesn’t matter either.

I would like to point out that I have no issue constructing a bike path segregated on road, it is safer than the government’s attempts at on road lanes. What I expect is the construction to be done in a sensible, well planned and cost effective manner.

This project has not been any of the above. What could have been a simple project, with minimal impact on the city by building it into the existing pathways, has turned into a massive project which has taken a very long time to build, with little thought of the disruption to other transport options and at a significant cost.

Keijidosha said :

I had assumed (incorrectly as it turns out) that these cycle paths were going to be at road level, separated by a low concrete dividing curb. Instead we get this Dukes of Hazzard-style path that alternates between road and footpath level, defying any logical explanation.

dtc said :

Hopefully these paths will open soon. That said, I’m not sure how you are meant to get from Barry Drive to Rudd St ( without riding on the footpath or road.

Probably via the runway-width cycle path that has been built in front of the Lena Karmel building between Barry Drive and the Marcus Clarke/Rudd Street intersection.

Yeah, sorry, meant between Rudd St and Allsop St. Its only a short way so no big deal, but they managed to build the new bus shelter right in the narrowest part of the footpath and, as far as I can tell, there isnt going to be a bike lane there (unless its going to be painted on the road).

As to why the cycle path is elevated, mostly – does anyone know? Is it meant to be safer?

Grail said :

… it’s an offence to ride within 10m of an open store or business doorway.

I’d be interested to have you provide a pointer to the legislation which makes that an offence.

I have a memory that there used to be provision similar to that in the road rules in the ACT prior to the change to the Australian Road Rules in 1999, but I’m not aware of anything like that which applies any more.

troll-sniffer said :

Funny thing is that not a whole lot of people were using the embryonic cycleways in the Netherlands when they were introduced decades ago. No doubt there were hordes of naysayers and other groups of Luddites jumping up and down about the waste of money and the loss of vehicle-only spaces. History is a great teacher if you’re prepared to open your minds just a little.

This troll is way below the quality of your usual stuff. Is the horse reiki having undesirable side effects?

dtc said :

guy said :

I just found out this is costing us $6 million bucks !!!!

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/work-starts-on-6m-cycle-loop-around-civic-20120711-21wn7.html

For only 2.5 km (that’s two and a half kilometres) of bike path. That’s $1.875 million per kilometre, or $1875 per linear metre!!!!

For about $2 million per kilometre, this bike path should be gold plated, not bitumen and concrete.

Maybe you should get into road building.

I’m not sure if you are complaining about $6m being spent on cyclists or agree with the concept but not the cost

For anyone in the former category (which may not be you), then compare to the $288m being spent on motorists just for the Majura Parkway alone.

Another comparison is the GDE at roughly $22 million per km.

I had assumed (incorrectly as it turns out) that these cycle paths were going to be at road level, separated by a low concrete dividing curb. Instead we get this Dukes of Hazzard-style path that alternates between road and footpath level, defying any logical explanation.

dtc said :

Hopefully these paths will open soon. That said, I’m not sure how you are meant to get from Barry Drive to Rudd St ( without riding on the footpath or road.

Probably via the runway-width cycle path that has been built in front of the Lena Karmel building between Barry Drive and the Marcus Clarke/Rudd Street intersection.

guy said :

For about $2 million per kilometre, this bike path should be gold plated, not bitumen and concrete.

Isn’t that approaching the cost of railways (per kilometre)? Not to mention tramways.

guy said :

I just found out this is costing us $6 million bucks !!!!

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/work-starts-on-6m-cycle-loop-around-civic-20120711-21wn7.html

For only 2.5 km (that’s two and a half kilometres) of bike path. That’s $1.875 million per kilometre, or $1875 per linear metre!!!!

For about $2 million per kilometre, this bike path should be gold plated, not bitumen and concrete.

Maybe you should get into road building.

I’m not sure if you are complaining about $6m being spent on cyclists or agree with the concept but not the cost

For anyone in the former category (which may not be you), then compare to the $288m being spent on motorists just for the Majura Parkway alone.

Why on earth, especially with land prices so high, can’t we have vertical, mechanical car parks such as exist in Japan?

It would save space, allow more people to live in inner city areas, and free up land for either more housing or public space.

Here are two links outlining what they look like/how they work:

http://romaxparking.com/products.html
http://www.intransitionmag.org/Spring-Summer_2010/automated_parking.aspx

I just found out this is costing us $6 million bucks !!!!

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/work-starts-on-6m-cycle-loop-around-civic-20120711-21wn7.html

For only 2.5 km (that’s two and a half kilometres) of bike path. That’s $1.875 million per kilometre, or $1875 per linear metre!!!! The actual cost per metre will be higher, because that basic calculation doesn’t take into where the bike path traverses account intersections and driveways and which will therefore not be included in the overall length of the bikepath.

For about $2 million per kilometre, this bike path should be gold plated, not bitumen and concrete.

Lawyers are going to have a field day with this.

i know i’d rather have a small run in with a pedestrian than be hit by a car!

This might help provide a bit more background and context for those coming across this for the first time…

http://www.tams.act.gov.au/roads-transport/major_construction_projects/civic_cycle_loop

In regards to the 10m wide footpaths, it’s an offence to ride within 10m of an open store or business doorway. So either cyclists illegally share the footpaths that are less than 10m from the doorway or you make the footpaths 10m wide or more so cyclists can ride legally.

I’m chuckling at the thought that the old guy getting out of the car is going to be complaining to his friends about the crazy parking on Rudd St.

Make cyclists ride on the road – complaints

Make cyclists ride on the footpath – complaints

Build a cycle path – complaints.

Anyone spot a pattern?

Anyone who regularly rides into Civic from the North will know that once you hit Barry Drive there are no cycle paths or facilities at all. Either you ride on the busy and intolerant Marcus Clarke/Rudd St or you ride on the footpath, which is also busy with people in and out of buses and walking into Civic/to Uni. And as for riding down Marcus Clarke St toward the lake, its even worse as there are numerous side roads with very poor visability.

So just because it doesnt mean anything to you doesnt mean its wrong. After all, if I took the same view I would argue that they shouldnt build or repair any roads in Tuggeranong and instead use that money for things that actually are of benefit to me as a northsider.

Hopefully these paths will open soon. That said, I’m not sure how you are meant to get from Barry Drive to Rudd St ( without riding on the footpath or road.

troll-sniffer said :

Funny thing is that not a whole lot of people were using the embryonic cycleways in the Netherlands when they were introduced decades ago. No doubt there were hordes of naysayers and other groups of Luddites jumping up and down about the waste of money and the loss of vehicle-only spaces. History is a great teacher if you’re prepared to open your minds just a little.

+1

I am all for cycling infrastructure, and encouraging people to ride to work leave some parking for me, but this does seem like an odd choice of road to install what is (for Canberra) a new type of cycle way.

And when someone trips off the raised curb getting out of their car, into oncoming traffic…

I haven’t been into the city recently to see these so could someone fill me in – do you have to drive up the gutter to get there, or is it a sort of drive-down-a-narrow-strip-then-stop parking effort? Do you have to reverse park up and over this gutter? And then step *down* into traffic to get out? Seems like a great deal of trouble and a mildly hazardous place to try and park if you ask me.

All the driveways onto the street create lowered areas conducive to cars getting up. A centre rail at the driveways intersections would probably fix it.

troll-sniffer10:09 am 26 Feb 13

Funny thing is that not a whole lot of people were using the embryonic cycleways in the Netherlands when they were introduced decades ago. No doubt there were hordes of naysayers and other groups of Luddites jumping up and down about the waste of money and the loss of vehicle-only spaces. History is a great teacher if you’re prepared to open your minds just a little.

Well, it’s a “shared zone” alright.

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