8 November 2011

Plans out for the Bowen Place underpass

| johnboy
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Bowen Place underpass plan

The National Capital Authority is asking for your thoughts on their plans for an underpass at Bowen Place.

Located near Kings Avenue Bridge, the Bowen Place crossing forms part of the popular pedestrian and cyclist route around Lake Burley Griffin’s central basin. It is also a busy road – especially at peak hour.

Following community and stakeholder consultation earlier this year, five architecture firms were invited to submit designs for an underpass.

An independent design panel, chaired by ACT Government Architect, Prof. Alistair Swayne unanimously selected a concept developed by Lahz Nimmo Architects with Spackman Mossop Michaels Landscape Architects.

(The image I’ve chosen is called “Hero View” which I particularly like)

If they can build anything like what the plans look like I’ll be a happy camper.

Here’s what we currently have:


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Holden Caulfield10:45 am 20 Dec 11

No objections from the Feds.

This is great news! That crossing is unpleasant for pedestrians. I recently saw the father of a family head down towards the lake to get a better view of oncoming vehicles, then signal to his wife and children when it was safe to cross. Quite an extraordinary operation for getting across a two lane carriageway in a 60 km/h zone.

Until this underpass is done, a suggestion to all drivers… any regulars of that road know that particular section is heavily utilised by pedestrians… slow down on the approach. Easy, less scary incidents for all concerned.

And most importantly… if a pedestrian does happen to misjudge your speed and steps out at the wrong time, slow down immediately! Give the person plenty of space to spare. Do this and 9 times out of 10 you’re likely to get a “sorry” wave. I’ve seen several close calls where a driver had ample time to brake for a pedestrian who’s made a mistake, but instead maintained speed towards the fellow human on the road and lay on the horn to watch them scurry out the way. Disgusting behavior apparently committed by some drivers who enjoy the power trip?

sengledow said :

Bring on a couple of good cafes along the Carillon/ Blundell’s cottage stretch . . . is it not possible to get power to that area, or what?

Bugger the “good cafes!” I’d much rather see the lake shore with a little commercial crap as possible.

I like it. I wonder if it would look as good with safty rails on th kings ave bridge bit above bowen

I-filed said :

It looks as though it isn’t the shortest possible route – it that’s the case it will be ignored and people will create a shortcut surely …

Yes, pedestrians (and cyclists for that matter) will create shortcuts where ever possible, but if they retain the concrete barrier on the median strip then it will be a shortcut to nowhere!

Looks great!

A significant step toward improving the interminable, and inconceivably boring, stage of the ‘two bridges’ walk between the Sculpture Garden and Commonwealth Park. Bring on a couple of good cafes along the Carillon/ Blundell’s cottage stretch . . . is it not possible to get power to that area, or what?

Looks good.

The only beef I have is the design encourages people to mill around a Kings Avenue viewing platform which also happens to be a pedestrian/cycle T-intersection and narrow congestion point. But maybe the space is larger than it looks.

patrick_keogh2:36 pm 08 Nov 11

YetAnotherBlowIn said :

Wouldn’t it be easier, quicker and cheaper to build a straight ramp perpendicular to Kings Ave between Bowen Dr and the edge of the lake? Or is there a concern that would spoil the ambiance of the foreshore?

I confess I have only walked here a couple of times (and that when I did, I took the well worn direct tracks), but surely building an underpass would increase the gradient of the climb up to Kings Ave? Wouldn’t it be better (if the above idea was too detrimental to the lake frontage) to raise the pedestrians over the Bowen Rd and join with Kings Ave roughly where the “No Access; All pedestrians use path” sign is? A bridge is also less likely to fill with leaf litter and and rubbish.

The issues with the pedestrian overpass and direct connection to the bridge all relate to the management of the heritage value of the parliamentary triangle where there were (and would be) strenuous objections to the visual addition of the overpass which would be visible from APH and AWM. Not saying I agree, but that was the issue.

As it turns out the “well worn path” becomes less attractive with the underpass option because there would be no step down from the grass to the underpass, and I think it likely that they would fill in the current gap in the median strip concrete barrier, making the underpass the only way of getting across

YetAnotherBlowIn said :

Wouldn’t it be easier, quicker and cheaper to build a straight ramp perpendicular to Kings Ave between Bowen Dr and the edge of the lake? Or is there a concern that would spoil the ambiance of the foreshore?

I confess I have only walked here a couple of times (and that when I did, I took the well worn direct tracks), but surely building an underpass would increase the gradient of the climb up to Kings Ave? Wouldn’t it be better (if the above idea was too detrimental to the lake frontage) to raise the pedestrians over the Bowen Rd and join with Kings Ave roughly where the “No Access; All pedestrians use path” sign is? A bridge is also less likely to fill with leaf litter and and rubbish.

I made a submission with a very similar idea. The process began with certain guided suggestions – so you could only really choose from their already decided ideas.

It looks as though it isn’t the shortest possible route – it that’s the case it will be ignored and people will create a shortcut surely …

From the design report…

http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/haveyoursay/index.php/current-discussions/bowen-place-underpass/design-report

…there is a not-so subtle reference to the possible future removal of Bowen Drive.

Does anyone know if this is on the cards one day or if the designers were just showing the flexibility of their solution under possible future options.

Holden Caulfield12:06 pm 08 Nov 11

Looks pretty nice and will, for a while, most likely become the new spot for late night car photos!

Rather a nice design, and mimics the walk down to the Federation Place area. Although it’s hard to tell from the renderings, I imagine it will be a pretty gentle gradient, given the length and shape of the ramp.

YetAnotherBlowIn11:30 am 08 Nov 11

Wouldn’t it be easier, quicker and cheaper to build a straight ramp perpendicular to Kings Ave between Bowen Dr and the edge of the lake? Or is there a concern that would spoil the ambiance of the foreshore?

I confess I have only walked here a couple of times (and that when I did, I took the well worn direct tracks), but surely building an underpass would increase the gradient of the climb up to Kings Ave? Wouldn’t it be better (if the above idea was too detrimental to the lake frontage) to raise the pedestrians over the Bowen Rd and join with Kings Ave roughly where the “No Access; All pedestrians use path” sign is? A bridge is also less likely to fill with leaf litter and and rubbish.

So they decided not to go ahead with that weird footbridge idea?

Looks like you’d be able to get a fair bit of speed up on any self-propelled wheeled machine. Mind you, I think that 5km an hour is pretty good.

Looks like a pretty speccy bit of engineering.

Terrific idea.

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