7 October 2011

GDE officially open

| johnboy
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photo by MightyJoe

Simon Corbell has announced the official opening of the Gungahlin Drive Extension after many false dawns.

“The nine kilometre, four-lane GDE will significantly reduce north-south traffic congestion during peak periods. It will play a crucial role in reducing journey times for trips to and from Gungahlin. It will also help to relieve congestion on other arterial roads.

“The completed project now provides a direct connection from north to south Canberra and includes dedicated on-road cycle lanes for the full length.”

Mr Corbell said that stage two of the project had been delivered ahead of schedule and on budget.

One wonders how long they’ll have to keep saying that last bit before anyone believes it in the context of the whole project.

[Photo by MightyJoe]

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Felix the Cat said :

Bobert said :

It should be 100km/h. If you can’t handle 100km/h over those bridges, then you shouldn’t have a license. And they should set up speed cameras which are tuned at 110km/h, so that people don’t run people off the road.

And I just saw someone write something about cycling on the GDE. If you cycle on a motorway/freeway, you’re a complete idiot. They are for fast moving traffic, not pushbikes

There is a dedicated bike lane on GDE that is ~1.5m wide. If you can’t drive your motor vehicle in the ~3m lane without hitting a cyclist you are the complete idiot and shouldn’t have a license.

Fair point – Although I’m not arguing that cyclists aren’t staying in their lanes, and for the record, I’ve always stayed within my lane when driving – im saying you’d have to be pretty foolish to want to ride on a motorway like that – but each to their own I guess.

One thing though, I note that some freeways in Melb and Sydney allow for cyclists and also have a 100km/h limit – I haven’t heard of many cyclist/motorist accidents…

Felix the Cat8:34 am 17 Oct 11

Bobert said :

It should be 100km/h. If you can’t handle 100km/h over those bridges, then you shouldn’t have a license. And they should set up speed cameras which are tuned at 110km/h, so that people don’t run people off the road.

And I just saw someone write something about cycling on the GDE. If you cycle on a motorway/freeway, you’re a complete idiot. They are for fast moving traffic, not pushbikes

There is a dedicated bike lane on GDE that is ~1.5m wide. If you can’t drive your motor vehicle in the ~3m lane without hitting a cyclist you are the complete idiot and shouldn’t have a license.

It should be 100km/h. If you can’t handle 100km/h over those bridges, then you shouldn’t have a license. And they should set up speed cameras which are tuned at 110km/h, so that people don’t run people off the road.

And I just saw someone write something about cycling on the GDE. If you cycle on a motorway/freeway, you’re a complete idiot. They are for fast moving traffic, not pushbikes

Sgt.Bungers said :

screaming banshee said :

Sgt.Bungers said :

but the Monaro Highway has bike lanes and is 100 km/h… it also has at least one at grade intersection during the 100 km/h zone

I’m not overly familiar with the road, which intersection is that?

http://g.co/maps/34xhg

🙂

Yeah I was thinking that you were meaning that one, but a driveway to a property is not an intersection.

Sgt.Bungers said :

yellowsnow said :

Sgt.Bungers said :

If the aging Tuggeranong Parkway and Westbound side of Canberra Ave is still safe for 100 km/h, then the GDE could be safe for 120 km/h by comparison.

Or vice versa, if the GDE is really only safe for a maximum speed of 80 km/h, shouldn’t motorists be prohibited from travelling faster than 60 km/h on the old, dodgy sections of the Parkway?

The 80 km/h limit is a joke and is not going to be adhered to… even those doing their best to adhere to the limit will slip over it occasionally… as the road design will result in motorists not realising they’re going too fast without looking at their speedo.

Not sure what Sgt Bungers means by Westbound side of Canberra Ave,

http://actroads.org/archives/872

🙂

But that mostly affects NSW drivers coming in from Queanbeyan 😉

shadow boxer said :

Jethro said :

So I took a drive down the newly opened road today and am man enough to admit when I’m wrong.
Once you get south of Mitchell, the 80 speed limit is completely ridiculous.

Nonetheless, anyone who complains when they get a speeding ticket is still an idiot. You can disagree with a speed limit whilst managing to stick to it.

and by a massive coincidence that is exactly the place the point to point cameras are going, Barton hwy to Belconnen way.

The black spot or not about revenue raising arguments can be completely ignored once this is in palce.

It pains me to say this, but you are right.

Building a new road that is clearly designed for a certain speed, but making the speed limit artificially low and installing permanent speed cameras is a stupid decision. It makes it all the harder for those of us in favour of speed cameras, etc to argue that they are legitimate.

yellowsnow said :

Sgt.Bungers said :

If the aging Tuggeranong Parkway and Westbound side of Canberra Ave is still safe for 100 km/h, then the GDE could be safe for 120 km/h by comparison.

Or vice versa, if the GDE is really only safe for a maximum speed of 80 km/h, shouldn’t motorists be prohibited from travelling faster than 60 km/h on the old, dodgy sections of the Parkway?

The 80 km/h limit is a joke and is not going to be adhered to… even those doing their best to adhere to the limit will slip over it occasionally… as the road design will result in motorists not realising they’re going too fast without looking at their speedo.

Not sure what Sgt Bungers means by Westbound side of Canberra Ave,

http://actroads.org/archives/872

🙂

screaming banshee said :

Sgt.Bungers said :

but the Monaro Highway has bike lanes and is 100 km/h… it also has at least one at grade intersection during the 100 km/h zone

I’m not overly familiar with the road, which intersection is that?

http://g.co/maps/34xhg

🙂

I think a 90 limit would be good, then the good ole chestnut of Drivers having to keep left unless overtaking would come into affect, not that it is ever adhered to.

shadow boxer11:38 am 09 Oct 11

Jethro said :

So I took a drive down the newly opened road today and am man enough to admit when I’m wrong.
Once you get south of Mitchell, the 80 speed limit is completely ridiculous.

Nonetheless, anyone who complains when they get a speeding ticket is still an idiot. You can disagree with a speed limit whilst managing to stick to it.

and by a massive coincidence that is exactly the place the point to point cameras are going, Barton hwy to Belconnen way.

The black spot or not about revenue raising arguments can be completely ignored once this is in palce.

yellowsnow said :

Aeek said :

(I like cycling the GDE)

LOL! Not sure whether you’re joking, or have a deathwish.

Still, not as crazy as the folks who insist on cycling in the breakdown lane on the Parkway, or the Federal Hwy

Federal Highway would be me too. How else to get out to the Old Federal Highway?

I just travelled last night, on its first night open, the entire route from the Glenloch Interchange to Kosciuszko Avenue at around 10:45 pm, and discovered that around 20% of the street lights on the road were out! Isn’t that a few too many for a road that is now “fully open”?

Also, why and where does Caswell Drive morph into Gungahliin Drive? I entered the GDE from Parkes Way, coming from Civic, where there were two separate signs saying “Caswell Drive”, one before the exit and then one at the exit, and then once up onto Caswell Drive itself, about half way to Aranda, the very next sign called the road “Gungahlin Drive”. Which is it?

So I took a drive down the newly opened road today and am man enough to admit when I’m wrong.
Once you get south of Mitchell, the 80 speed limit is completely ridiculous.

Nonetheless, anyone who complains when they get a speeding ticket is still an idiot. You can disagree with a speed limit whilst managing to stick to it.

Aeek said :

(I like cycling the GDE)

LOL! Not sure whether you’re joking, or have a deathwish.

Still, not as crazy as the folks who insist on cycling in the breakdown lane on the Parkway, or the Federal Hwy

Why not 100 between the bridges, 80 around the bridges given the exits are marginal?

(I like cycling the GDE)

Sgt.Bungers said :

If the aging Tuggeranong Parkway and Westbound side of Canberra Ave is still safe for 100 km/h, then the GDE could be safe for 120 km/h by comparison.

Or vice versa, if the GDE is really only safe for a maximum speed of 80 km/h, shouldn’t motorists be prohibited from travelling faster than 60 km/h on the old, dodgy sections of the Parkway?

The 80 km/h limit is a joke and is not going to be adhered to… even those doing their best to adhere to the limit will slip over it occasionally… as the road design will result in motorists not realising they’re going too fast without looking at their speedo.

Not sure what Sgt Bungers means by Westbound side of Canberra Ave, but it’s true the Tuggeranong Parkway is old and rough in parts — nothing a good resurface with smooth bitumen (rather than that rough as guts stuff that’s in vogue in many projects). But it’s also fairly straight, with clear lines of sight and few ramps. It was designed for 110kmh (though going over the narrowish bridges at this speed can be scary – maybe limit should be 90km north of Cotter rd). Undivided parts of William Hovell, signposted at 90kmh and with crazy intersections like the Coppins Crossing one, are also scary. The sergeant has a point about inconsistency, but they’ll improve these sections before they reduce the limit.

But if GDE had a 100kmh limit, half the people would drive 120km (many of them weaving in and out of lanes or tailgating to force others to speed), which would be way too dangerous on a road which was (according to the planners) designed for 90kmh. Happened to me the other day – almost lost control and veered off the road on a curved section due to some crazy and aggressive manouvering by others at high speed. I can see how the smooth surface and monotonous landscape could put many people to sleep or at least drive them to inattentiveness. Dozing off at 100kmh+ on roads with broad sweeping curves is not a place you want to be.

Maybe you could argue for 90kmh legitimately, but not more.

In his list of comparisons the Sargent also doesn’t mention Adelaide Ave – which has an 80kmh limit but is broad and straight and smooth like just about no other road. You could travel there 100kmh or even 120km with ease, but that’s not what it says on the signs. Proof that this is not just an anti-GDE govt conspiracy — I’m sure there are other factors at play in determining limits. Anyway, people should chill out a bit. Stressing and complaining and driving aggressively because speed limits are not what you want them to be is not a good way to start or finish off the working day.

screaming banshee8:28 pm 07 Oct 11

Sgt.Bungers said :

but the Monaro Highway has bike lanes and is 100 km/h… it also has at least one at grade intersection during the 100 km/h zone

I’m not overly familiar with the road, which intersection is that?

Halle-farking-lujah ….for now..

creative_canberran6:39 pm 07 Oct 11

Hope the signs on the GDE work better than the ones on the Parkway, which have NEVER worked.
Ridiculous how many times they’ve had accidents blocking traffic yet the sign still shows the standard roadworks message, saying nothing about the more pressing issue. Horrible waste.

The 80 km/h speed limit is in anticipation for point to point speed cameras on the GDE.

GovCo has to recoup money from the road, and fast.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/greens-get-rights-probe-into-speed-camera-bill/2271214.aspx?storypage=0

If the aging Tuggeranong Parkway and Westbound side of Canberra Ave is still safe for 100 km/h, then the GDE could be safe for 120 km/h by comparison.

Or vice versa, if the GDE is really only safe for a maximum speed of 80 km/h, shouldn’t motorists be prohibited from travelling faster than 60 km/h on the old, dodgy sections of the Parkway?

Belconnen Way, Ginninderra Drive, Gundaroo Drive, Hindmarsh Drive, Yamba Drive, Erindale Drive, Sulwood Drive, all have single grade intersections along the majority of their lengths… yet have 80 km/h speed limits. William Hovell Drive has at grade intersections, actively and passively controlled, yet a 90 km/h speed limit?

The GDE/Tuggeranong Parkway are limited access roads from Mitchell to Sulwood Drive… grade separated interchanges along its entire length… ZERO opportunity for a vehicle to travel across a carriageway when making a turn… yet, an 80 km/h speed limit (for the GDE half).

The bike lane is of course one reason to argue for the 80 km/h speed limit… but the Monaro Highway has bike lanes and is 100 km/h… it also has at least one at grade intersection during the 100 km/h zone, unlike the GDE.

A little consistency would be nice ACT Gov!

The 80 km/h limit is a joke and is not going to be adhered to… even those doing their best to adhere to the limit will slip over it occasionally… as the road design will result in motorists not realising they’re going too fast without looking at their speedo.

I’ll be driving both directions of the GDE tomorrow and will report back with AS 1742.4 and AS 1743 compliance levels 🙂

devils_advocate said :

I’m still doing the rat run through lyneham, o’connor etc but have noticed traffic has thinned nicely on ellenborough st and also the turn from Dryandra st onto Belconnen way.

Yeah. I’m withholding judgement, though, until school holidays are over.

roccon said :

some older sections of road northbound of the belconnen way overpass now pool water into the seam between the old lane and the new lane. $10 says the road will need to be torn up and relaid there in 12 months if its a wet spring, summer.

That isn’t water pooling, it is water seeping out of the joint. You watch it will be like that for a few days, and yep I reckon part will have to be ripped up before too long to fix. I am no road engineer but I would have thought a joint like this would have been staggered. Ie lay the first layer then lay the top layer in an overlap pattern. To do this would have required the top suface of the existing road to be ripped up a little.

I also reckon the surface on the older Belconnen way bridge should have been redone too. There you can see and feel where the old concrete barrier was held onto the road. Off the bridge it looks like it has been marked to dig it up and relay, so will wait and see.

Though overall the surface is bloody good and not a bad road.

Steve_Pedestrian2:18 pm 07 Oct 11

I like the sign near Aranda that says’ Thank you for your patienc3′ – so gen y!

Gungahlin Al1:37 pm 07 Oct 11

That sign sould have “fully” replaced with “finally”…

MightyJoe said :

Also mentions “thanks for your patience” or something like that!

MightyJoe said :

Just drove it to gunners and back to civic…. All 80 km/h zones

Here’s a consolation prize though!

I would have preferred, ‘sorry we stuffed up so much but at least it’s over’

Also mentions “thanks for your patience” or something like that!

MightyJoe said :

Just drove it to gunners and back to civic…. All 80 km/h zones

Here’s a consolation prize though!

Just drove it to gunners and back to civic…. All 80 km/h zones

Here’s a consolation prize though!

[IMG]http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l255/dks51r/GDE.jpg[/IMG]

devils_advocate12:43 pm 07 Oct 11

I’m still doing the rat run through lyneham, o’connor etc but have noticed traffic has thinned nicely on ellenborough st and also the turn from Dryandra st onto Belconnen way.

PrinceOfAles said :

shadow boxer said :

Pretty good run this morning, 10-15 minutes Gungahlin to State Circle. Zero traffic lights except for those ridiculous ones at Floriade.

Once they make it 80kph I will probably have to join at Ginninderra to avoid the first camera.

Batton hwy to Belconnen on that road is two lanes,divided road, traffic barriers between oncoming traffic and contains two long slip lanes for traffic to merge. 80kph is simply ridiculous.

Ridiculous it is. It should be 100km/h or at least 90. I think I shall write an email to Simon Corbell and Tony Gill.

Good luck ever getting any politician to raise a speed limit no matter how sensible it may be.

PrinceOfAles11:54 am 07 Oct 11

shadow boxer said :

Pretty good run this morning, 10-15 minutes Gungahlin to State Circle. Zero traffic lights except for those ridiculous ones at Floriade.

Once they make it 80kph I will probably have to join at Ginninderra to avoid the first camera.

Batton hwy to Belconnen on that road is two lanes,divided road, traffic barriers between oncoming traffic and contains two long slip lanes for traffic to merge. 80kph is simply ridiculous.

Ridiculous it is. It should be 100km/h or at least 90. I think I shall write an email to Simon Corbell and Tony Gill.

OverLord said :

So does that mean th 60km/h signs are coming down and the 80km/h signs are going up today?

if only they would do the sensible thing and put up 100 km/h signs instead.

OverLord said :

So does that mean th 60km/h signs are coming down and the 80km/h signs are going up today?

Does it matter? Seems noone pays attention to them anyway.
(c’ept for me, of course!)

shadow boxer11:43 am 07 Oct 11

Pretty good run this morning, 10-15 minutes Gungahlin to State Circle. Zero traffic lights except for those ridiculous ones at Floriade.

Once they make it 80kph I will probably have to join at Ginninderra to avoid the first camera.

Batton hwy to Belconnen on that road is two lanes,divided road, traffic barriers between oncoming traffic and contains two long slip lanes for traffic to merge. 80kph is simply ridiculous.

roccon said :

some older sections of road northbound of the belconnen way overpass now pool water into the seam between the old lane and the new lane. $10 says the road will need to be torn up and relaid there in 12 months if its a wet spring, summer.

Your money’s safe here. Is it my imagination, or is everything that has ‘Cord Civil’ signs around it come out B-grade?
(did they own the collapsed Barton Hwy bridge?)

some older sections of road northbound of the belconnen way overpass now pool water into the seam between the old lane and the new lane. $10 says the road will need to be torn up and relaid there in 12 months if its a wet spring, summer.

I just drove there @ 9am and the fluro workers were moping about with the signs (there was one just after the Barton Highway bridge that was covered up)

But, there was also 5 workers and 1 hand saw cutting a piece of something along the road too.

The announcment says 10am, hopefully today and not next year!

So does that mean th 60km/h signs are coming down and the 80km/h signs are going up today?

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