June Meeting Summary: Your BUG held a very productive meeting with staff from the Port Council’s Transport Team. It was pleasing to note that after several years working mainly on larger scale projects (such as the Outer Harbour Greenway & other bikeways), the most recent 2022 Walking & Cycling Plan (https://www.cityofpae.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/413016/Local-Area-Bicycle-Plan.pdf) has been able to focus on much more ‘granular’ issues – bike parking provisions, local pedestrian & bicycle access & continuity, neighbourhood bike routes & safe crossings at main road intersections. 

This focus on smaller-scale issues was reflected in much of our discussion with the Transport Team. Key items discussed included:

• St Vincent St: an extensive street-scaping project planned for St Vincent St. We hope this will resolve a number of pedestrian & bike-lane issues on this important route into & through the Port CBD.
• Port Dock Station Project: Upgrading of footpaths & bike lanes on & around Lipson & Godfrey Streets, new bike crossings on St Vincent St (adjacent to Todd St) & new pedestrian crossing points on Lipson St.
• OHG Review: Council is undertaking a review of the Outer Harbour Greenway (Alberton to Outer Harbour).
• Improved Bike Network Guides: Provision of effective online bike-network mapping & in particular, better guidance for OHG users. Staff are exploring various options including a phone app, use of Google Maps, en-route QR Codes & various forms of in-situ guidance & signage.
• Pedestrian Upgrades: A new pedestrian ramp & signals will be installed adjacent to the Nelson/St Vincent St corner along with new Bike/Pedestrian Activated signals on the Levels-to-City Bikeway crossing on Grand Junction Road near Montrose Ave.
• Port CBD Project & CBD LATM: Council hope to commence a Local Area Traffic Plan (LATM) for the CBD mid-2025. The City Development Team is also undertaking a Waterfront Precinct Plan, which will include consideration of priority bike routes for Greenway users through the Waterfront area.
• Access to Schools Funding: Staff are committed to a review of local access, infrastructure & parking issues for all 31 schools in the PAE Council area & potential for improvements. Currently seeking funding.
• Priorities for the 2024-25 Financial Year: Staff outlined several projects including:

– Outer Harbour Greenway improvements

– improved arterial road crossings

– a new pedestrian crossing on May Trc, Rosewater

– new bike lanes on the Mersey Road Bikeway

– St Vincent St streetscape upgrades

– Lipson & Godfrey Street pedestrian & bike upgrades

– pedestrian & bike upgrades, Bower & Military Roads

– new bike parking rails – 9 to date & 10 more planned for 2024-25.

Note: You can continue to nominate locations for new bike parking facilities & main road crossings at Participate PAE (https://participate.cityofpae.sa.gov.au/out-and-about). We encourage you to do so!

We also discussed the new Federal Active Transport Fund. We have proposed use of this fund to resolve major crossing/underpass safety issues on the Port River Bikeway (for which DIT are responsible). Staff will be keeping an eye on opportunities to access such funding & encourage DIT to resolve the issue.

PortBUG found our discussions with Council staff encouraging & look forward to working with them further over the coming year. 

New meeting arrangements: PortBUG now meets bimonthly (ie; we’re aiming for 6 meetings per year). BUG & Forum members are welcome to attend – just email the BUG secretary (Sam at portadbug@gmail.com) for dates & times.