Leslie (BUG Convenor) & Sam (Sec): ‘V for Victory’!

Hi Folks, Best Wishes from the PortBUG for Christmas and the New Year! There’s lots happening as we approach the end of 2017 and pedal on into 2018 & progress that all Supporters of Cycling can be proud of! Here are some really positive updates:

New bicycle underpass, Park Trc, Bowden.

1. The Outer Harbour Greenway: The long-awaited opening of the Outer Harbour Greenway is due sometime in January 2018. It’s not quite clear exactly when – but it’s happening. The PortBUG first mapped out the route in August, 2005 so a week or so either way hardly matters! What we’re now waiting on is:

• opening of the bike overpass over South Rd
• construction of a pathway between South Road and Park Trc  (including a new bike-bridge over Chief St)
• the opening of the bicycle underpass at Park Trc, connecting the Greenway to the Adelaide Parklands pathways (see right).

So folks – it’s going to happen! Very soon commuters, families, oldies, youngies – just about anyone – will be able to safely & easily ride all the way into the Adelaide CBD or down to The Port, and to all points in between!

2.  Causeway Rd Upgrades:  The Port Adelaide/Enfield Council has confirmed that construction of the long-awaited new pathways and upgraded bike facilities along hazardous Causeway Road will commence in early 2018. These will be a great help to students travelling to both Le Fevre P.S and Port Christian College as well as those using Glanville and Ethelton Rail Stations or travelling to Semaphore Road. The changes will include:

• new off-road pathways and a pedestrian crossing and median refuge between Glanville RS and the Hart Street Bridge (see below)

• widening and other improvements to the existing shared use pathway between the Hart Street Bridge and Bower Road (see below).

The PortBUG has long sought these upgrades and improvements and we congratulate the Port Council for its positive response!

3.  Hart Street:  The long-awaited DPTI upgrade of bike facilities on Hart Street is (we understand) to start early in 2018. The upgrades will include:

• reduction of traffic lanes on Hart St from 4 to 2 lanes
• a continuous painted bike lane on the northern side of the road between the Jervois Bridge and Military Rd
• a ‘protected’ bike lane on the southern side
• dedicated parking for those using the net-ball courts on the southern side
• at least 2 ‘passive’ pedestrian crossings with mid-road refuges
• lots more trees courtesy of the Port Council!

Hart Street is a major ‘entrance-way’ to The Port and to Semaphore and an important ‘linkage’ to the beach-side suburbs. These upgrades will make it an awesome place to ride and will add greatly to amenity and safety for local residents, visitors and for the nearby sporting precinct!

4.  PortBUG Flags!  The PortBUG has been involved in a flag-making workshop for the TDU start in the Port in January 2018. There will be 200 or so flags – we made three or four with a bike-related theme. They are beauties – look out for the PortBUG emblem on one of them (see the top of this post. Yes – it’s our ‘BUG Riding a Bike’ by local artist Bill Doyle!)

5.  A New ‘East-West Connector’:  The PortBUG has been reconnoitering routes between Port Adelaide and the Gawler Greenway and Salisbury Bike Network. The idea is to provide safe and secure routes for those in the Northern suburbs to easily access the The Port and beachside suburbs. Such routes would enable cyclists to bypass both the deadly Port Expressway ‘breakdown lanes’ and the hazards of Grand Junction Road. We’re working on it as a likely project for 2018-19 and beyond!

6. ‘Be Safe, Be Seen’, January 2018:  With PA/E Council the PortBUG is again hosting this excellent BikeSA/MAC presentation. Don’t forget to register and come along to hear about the latest facts and key strategies for your cycling safety! The program will again offer participants an excellent and free ‘goodie bag’ of valuable cycling-safety items – but only if your name is on the list prior to Jan 1st! So – please register ASAP at portadbug@gmail.com! 

There are many more items we could mention in this Christmas update – things are looking up for cycling in and around The Port so stay tuned! Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year and please – join us simply by ‘following’ this BUGblog or our facebook page – the ‘BUGbook’ – in 2018!

The PortBUG Team.