PortBUG: The Port Adelaide Bicycle User Group.

On January 2nd, Leslie Wightman, Convenor or the Port BUG and four other BUG members (plus Paul Anderson, representing the Charles Sturt BUG) met with the Mayor of the City of Charles Sturt, Kirsten Alexander and members of Council staff. Also present was Mayor Gary Johanson of Port Adelaide/Enfield Council.

Port Adelaide & Charles Sturt BUG reps meet with Mayors Alexander & Johanson and staff (Photo: Dave Case).

The meeting was called by Mayor Alexander to share information about the Outer Harbour & Grange Greenway project and related matters. Although a range of views were represented, we came away with an agreement that all parties should work together to ensure:

• appropriate information is made available to both Councils and the public asap
• a coordinated approach is taken across both local and state government as the various stages of the project unfold.

From the Port BUG’s p.o.v this latter point is particularly important! The major works involved in building the Greenway route will only be a ‘first step’ in establishing it as a functioning entity.  For the new bicycle route to achieve its potential a great deal of attention will be required to its ongoing ‘qualitative’ development and responsibility for this will largely fall to the three Councils involved (ACC, CCS and Pt A/E) and to local communities themselves. In fact, the BUG would hope that in the longer term, significant responsibility for the management, maintenance and further development of the route might be taken by a ‘Friends of the Outer Harbour Greenway’ group! Such an approach has worked well in Sydney for Greenway routes such as the Cooks River to Iron Cove Greenway in Sydney’s inner west. http://www.friendsofthegreenway.org.au

Key issues to be considered in this ‘qualitative’ development are likely to include:

• access to public toilets, shade, water, bins, parks and other rest places and related facilities along the route
• destination, directional and distance signage
• lighting & security issues (police, emergency phone points, CCTV etc)
• provision of effective access to and from local footpath and bicycle networks and pathways
• disability access and consideration for less able users
• signage re. local shops, traders and services (the Greenway should be seen as part of the economic life of the communities through which it passes)
• cultural and historical interpretation
• enhancing local cultural amenity, community sculpture, biodiversity provisions etc

The Port BUG sees great value in establishing a consistent thematic elements for the Outer Harbour Greenway which might include use of common signage, symbols and treatments as well as establishing a consistent approach to treatment of amenity and biodiversity issues along the Greenway’s entire route (approx. 20km). We believe that adjacent Councils need to consider their common responsibility for ensuring a functional and integrated outcome for the Greenway’s overall design, maintenance and amenity if it expects residents to recognise its potential! The BUG believes that the Outer Harbour Greenway will be very popular with the communities it passes through as well as with visitors and tourists. We believe it has great potential to contribute significantly to local economic life as well as the building social resiliency, equity, health and general sustainability in communities in the West. We call on the Councils involved to ‘adopt’ the Greenway in this light and factor it in to all of the relevant health, transport and other community development agendas.

More information on the development of the Outer Harbour Greenway and its development is available at our ‘Greenway’ page.

When: November 18, 2012 from 11am to 2pm
Where: King William Road, Elder Park foreshore (near the Popeye wharf)
What: Adelaide’s Cargo Bike Picnic
Organiser: Jeremy Miller

Come and join the cargo bike community at a fun family picnic in Adelaide. Meet cargo bike suppliers and owners and test ride some really practical bicycles (please BYO picnic and helmet). Find out how you can reduce your dependency on your car.

http://www.adelaidecyclists.com/events/event/show?id=3086792%3AEvent%3A618253&xg_source=msg_invite_event

Hi Port Adelaide Bicycle User Group,

You commented, “From an Active Transport p.o.v there are many problems with sharing roads on a daily (and sometimes 24 hour) basis with commuter traffic and heavy freight vehicles.”

I would like to share the following comments and observations with you. Several years ago a “heavy freight bypass route” was put in place so that heavy vehicles would bypass Port Adelaide and also not travel over the Birkenhead Bridge. This bypass has brought about obvious benefits in reducing heavy vehicle movements within Port Adelaide and also lessened the burden on the Birkenhead Bridge which has shown increased signs of decay and fragility in recent years.

As with most good things however, there has also been a downside, in this instance increased opportunities of conflict between heavy freight vehicles and cyclists, who are some of the most vulnerable of all road users.

The intersection of Bower Road and Old Port Road, shown in (figure 1) below, is an area where cyclists need to exercise extreme caution.

Figure 1: Intersection of Bower Road and Old Port Road, West Lakes. (source: Nearmaps)

Last Friday a heavy freight vehicle (semi-trailer style separate cabin with tanker trailer) was at the stop line in the northern turning lane awaiting the green turn right priority arrow, I was situated immediately adjacent the front of this vehicle (to the north) also waiting to turn right. When the green arrow appeared the traffic waiting to turn right commenced turning, as I was adjacent the front of the heavy freight vehicle on my bicycle I also commenced turning, but rather than continue the turn into the marked bicycle lane, I paused and allowed the heavy vehicle to proceed in front of me. It was with a real sense of horror that I then witnessed the heavy vehicle’s front passenger wheel proceed through the bicycle lane. I am not sure what instinct of self-preservation caused me to pause rather than complete my turn into the marked bike lane, but I would most likely have been seriously injured or killed if I had have completed the turn without pausing.

Reflecting on the circumstances I realize that there are many examples where bicycle lane markings are quickly worn away from the road, most notably at corners and bends. This indicates substantial traffic straying outside of their marked lane and trespassing within the bicycle lane. Perhaps often this practice is of little consequence, but in the instance recounted above, the consequences would have likely been catastrophic for me.

So, be wary when cycling within these types of intersections, particularly if you have been unable to make eye contact with other road users who may sever your swept path with disastrous effect.

Regards, Dave