11 May 2010

Gungahlin road upgrades

| johnboy
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It may seems surprising that barely completed suburbs needs road upgrades, but maybe it’s just-in-time planning at play.

Either way Mr Stanhope has announced Bonner and Forde are getting $10.8 million in works on Mulligans Flat Road.

Chief Minister and Minister for Transport, Jon Stanhope, said the Stage 1 works include the reconstruction of 2.5 kilometres of Mulligans Flat Road from Jessie Street in Forde towards the NSW border.

Two roundabouts will also be constructed to provide access to the new residential estates of Bonner 1b, Bonner 2 and future access to Bonner Stage 4 and Forde Stage 2.

Mr Stanhope said the roadworks would deliver a safer and smoother transport link between Bonner and Forde and the rest of Gungahlin.

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Gungahlin Al5:48 pm 04 Jul 10

Horrid, is there any point replying when you wilfully choose to distort or ignore my explanation?
PS: I ride 20 to 40 kms a week on and off road.

Al, you confirm my arguement- this is why.

1. There is somewhere you would like to have an off-road path that doesn’t have one. So, why arn’t you lobbying to get one, instead of taking the attitude that if you can’t have your off-road path then people who like cycle lanes shouldn’t get a cycle lane either? After all, people who want cycle lanes don’t demand the closure of off-road paths or argue that no new ones should be built. Is it too much to expect that the reverse should also apply?

2. You claim there is an ‘either/or’ situation- paths or cycle lanes but not both. Why? However if one does accept your argument that it is an ‘either/or situation’, please explain how, given the different preferences of different types of riders, only one type should get ALL the resources, and the other nothing. Would you not at least concede that IF (hypothetically) there is not the money/space etc to build both types of route, that on-road cycling taxpayers should get at least some of the money spent on their preferred type?

3. Most off-road paths are slower than riding on-road for 2 simple reasons- having to stop and give way at every side street, having to dodge pedestrians. Every cyclist, whether they ride on paths or roads, understands this. It has been stated countless times on Riot Act. So why don’t you understand it?

4. You make the assumption that a person riding on an off-road path can never get hit by a car (and appear to believe that an on-road cyclist almost certianly will). Neither assumption is remotely correct. In fact path riders can and do get hit where paths cross roads. And intersections are almost always where accidents occur, whether the cyclist is riding on the road or path- it rarely if ever happens on an ordinary stretch of road away from intersections. Experienced cyclists maintain the road is in fact safer because they keep their right of way through intersections instead of having to dart through dangerously small gaps in continious traffic. I’m sorry about your friend but to assume he/she would never have been hit if riding on a path is just plain wrong. And cyclists should certianly not be forced onto unsuitable facilities simply so drivers can be inattentive.

5. Jan Gehl is an ‘expert’ in his own country and should stay there. I place him in the same catagory as you- has rarely or never ridden in a Canberra cycle lane and is far less qualified to comment than those that do it daily, and displays breathtaking arrogance in doing so. The fact that you have to quote an ‘expert’ from half way around the world to prove your point actually proves mine.

To use Crace as an example – its been on the plans for at least three years. In that time I would have expected that THE DEVELOPERS of Crace (through a joint venture company) build the upgraded road access required.

This would take the pressure off my pocket (and all ratepayers in the ACT) and provide access to new residents.

Gungahlin Al1:30 pm 13 May 10

Horrid said :

I see that Gunghalin Al has taken another opportunity to publicly demonstrate his ignorance regarding on-road cycle lanes. He doesn’t like them, and thus nobody else should be allowed to use them either. What arrogance, to assume that his entirely theoretical knowledge of cycle lanes is worth more than the practical experience of thousands of people who DO use them on a regular basis and don’t share his concerns. The tired old comment about the ‘lycra clad 30kmh brigade’ confirms his ignorance, as many cyclists in on road cycle lanes are much slower and don’t wear cycling gear or ride racing bikes.

The bit about “kids dicing with death” is utter garbage, because if kids or their parents are concerned, there is also a network of off-road paths in the vicinity. The whole point of having both is to suit two different types of riders.

Hey Al, how about recognising that cycle lanes are the platform of a government that has now been elected 3 times on a policy of building them? Who elected you? Nobody! Here is a suggestion- how about all Canberrans who ride bikes being free to choose to ride on road or off road, without being dictated to by the likes of self appointed experts like you? It’s simple enough- I respect your right to be provided with an off-road path and cycle on it if it suits you, without critisism, and you provide the same respect to me to have my bit of road and ride on it? Or does that only work one way for you?

Big assumption there Horrid that we all have a choice. But perhaps you’re from one of the older areas where that is indeed the case? What’s the choice for Flemington Road. Or Federal Hwy between all those townhouses and EPIC?

MY point is that most of the road designs that we have been presented with over the last 12 months (and that’s a lot of them) have featured on-road paths ONLY. There are no alternative routes. And the CM’s media release was evidence of yet another.

And faced with an either/or situation, then I will obviously support and promote the off-road option. Because then everyone can be safer and still cycle. I don’t understand this assumption that off-road is somehow slower and therefore unsuitable for those who want a fast commute?

Oh and have you thought to ask yourself why it is something I care about? Because I’ve been there and seen what can happen to someone’s life (if they survive) when they are hit by a car. And then there’s the person who hit them and what they have to live with, just for a moment’s inattention. So if there’s a safer way that is to no detriment to anyone wanting a clear run, then of course that is what I’ll pursue every time.

Leave it perhaps to someone who IS an expert: Jan Gehl who spoke here recently pointed out that “in Copenhagen we use the row of parked cars to protect bicycle riders. In Australia you use the cyclists to protect the parked cars.”

I see that Gunghalin Al has taken another opportunity to publicly demonstrate his ignorance regarding on-road cycle lanes. He doesn’t like them, and thus nobody else should be allowed to use them either. What arrogance, to assume that his entirely theoretical knowledge of cycle lanes is worth more than the practical experience of thousands of people who DO use them on a regular basis and don’t share his concerns. The tired old comment about the ‘lycra clad 30kmh brigade’ confirms his ignorance, as many cyclists in on road cycle lanes are much slower and don’t wear cycling gear or ride racing bikes.

The bit about “kids dicing with death” is utter garbage, because if kids or their parents are concerned, there is also a network of off-road paths in the vicinity. The whole point of having both is to suit two different types of riders.

Hey Al, how about recognising that cycle lanes are the platform of a government that has now been elected 3 times on a policy of building them? Who elected you? Nobody! Here is a suggestion- how about all Canberrans who ride bikes being free to choose to ride on road or off road, without being dictated to by the likes of self appointed experts like you? It’s simple enough- I respect your right to be provided with an off-road path and cycle on it if it suits you, without critisism, and you provide the same respect to me to have my bit of road and ride on it? Or does that only work one way for you?

Gungahlin Al2:29 pm 12 May 10

Ferret: from Roads ACT last week re: Clarrie Hermes, they expect to go to tender in August/September this year and the budget papers indicate a cash expenditure of some $8m in
10/11. So well under way by this time next year. This is contrary to what Alistair Coe had in his recent newsletter stating it had been deferred two years.

Crace residents will also be able to exit via an extension of Nudurr Drive onto Gungahlin Drive. Consultants are working on the EIS for this now and met with us a few months ago. But yes – Gundaroo definitely needs an upgrade – all the way down through William Slim Drv too.

This Mulligans Flat Road project has been in the pipes for some time. It has attracted concerns from GCC and the Bush on Boundary group of environmental organisations that it intends preserving an area of grassland reserve to the west of the road by bulldozing an equivalent area of mature trees on the east side, given these trees are endangered grassy box woodlands community. The corridor will ultimately be a 4 lane road, assuming Yass Council starts developing land over the border.

I am not aware of whether the government has taken heed of these concerns in the final design.

The roundabouts will be on Mulligans Flat Rd itself, not on Horse Park Drive. Lights will control HPD, including a new intersection in this latest budget, and another down at Harrison.

BD84: Although Roads ACT told our April meeting that HPD 4-laning is not on their 5 year plan, the ACTPLA rep present at the same meeting said “it is on ours”.

Another concern I have is the bit of the media release that sprouts about 2 new on-road cycle lanes. This is a road that links two suburbs into the local town centre, and to the schools there. Students at the Burgmann campus in Forde will end up going to the Gungahlin campus, and others to the college. Surely kids should be able to cycle to school without dicing with death on on-road cycleways?? What is this continuing fixation with on-road cycling? Is the government so captive of the lycra-clad 30kph brigade that it gives no regard for cyclists that may not also compete in triathlons?

“It may seems surprising that barely completed suburbs needs road upgrades, but maybe it’s just-in-time planning at play.”

Absolutely – and the territory govt excels at it. Flemington rd is a perfect example of a road that is continually being upgraded.

I think that the fact they use vegemite rather than proper asphalt repairs on our roads also adds to the problem.

Holden Caulfield said :

Growling Ferret said :

…Next question is Crace – how are residents expected to get into and out of the suburb with two single lane access roads only at this stage?

Seems to work okay for Jerrabombera folk, haha.

That’s the problem, the government thinks all will be fine forever no matter how many more people cram into the suburbs. Then one day when the traffic banks back every day they realise they actually haven’t planned for population increases.

The government have been sitting on their asses in their own little world for years not paying attention and actually forward planning services. It’s good to upgrade Mulligan’s Flat Rd, though it doesn’t really go anywhere except in the first 500m. Still no action on Gundaroo Dr which is a bottleneck already in multiple locations and Horse Park Dr will need duplicating sooner rather than later. No doubt the problems will only get worse before they actually do something about it.

Mulligans Flat Road is the road formerly known as Gundaroo Road – so it’s been there for a very long time indeed.

Holden Caulfield3:12 pm 11 May 10

Growling Ferret said :

…Next question is Crace – how are residents expected to get into and out of the suburb with two single lane access roads only at this stage?

Seems to work okay for Jerrabombera folk, haha.

It may seems surprising that barely completed suburbs needs road upgrades

I would hazard a guess that the roads to be upgraded are no more than paddock access roads from before the suburbs were even in the planning stage.

Growling Ferret10:59 am 11 May 10

From a colleague, getting out of Forde and Bonner is already a nightmare, so the roundabouts will assist.

Next question is Crace – how are residents expected to get into and out of the suburb with two single lane access roads only at this stage?

I am waiting on Clarrie Hermes Dr to be extended around the back of Nicholls to the Barton Highway/Kuringa Drive intersection, which will then allow the missing links of Horse Park Drive to be completed.

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