Posts by Russell Brown
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Hard News: Paths where we actually ride, in reply to Su Yin Khoo,
And here’s Transportblog’s summation on the cycle count from January.
Perhaps the most interesting is that there was a large spike in usage of Grafton Gully (+29.9%) and Beach Rd (+23.5%).
That is interesting, as is Matt's guess as to why:
Monthly data suggests that while numbers had been improving, growth rates really picked up from December and that coincides with the opening of Lightpath. Perhaps we need more data to confirm but it suggests that more connected routes are helping drive usage (who would have thought). Also telling is that the only other route to grow is also connected – the NW Cycleway at Kingsland.
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Meanwhile, this lovely little NW cycleway underpass at Patiki Road opens at 2pm today, cyclists.
Gaze upon it and weep while NZTA bulldozes through yet another deadline at St Lukes Road, without an underpass.
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Hard News: Paths where we actually ride, in reply to Glenn Pearce,
It’s great the facilities are being utilised and locals may benefit from cycle lanes but these amenities are used by people from all over Auckland and NZ who, like it or not, travel to them in large numbers by car.
Yes – and the council has spent money on all-weather turf for Seddon Fields on the expectation that people will travel there.
I suspect the issue with building a new path on the north side isn't so much that it's impossible, as that it would require spending beyond the limits of cycleway funding.
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Hard News: Paths where we actually ride, in reply to Marc C,
Yes, I read the post, and I note how some good improvements are being made in the area where you live. But so far we get only some projects in certain areas, and there is this approach of “radiating out” from the inner city into the suburbs, that I read, that AT seem to follow, by gradually extending existing networks.
So I do not want to rubbish AT for the work they are doing and anticipating, and plans being made so far, but it is all rather limited to certain priority areas, where there is also likely to be more of an uptake of cycling. This though leaves very many suburban areas out of the picture, where only few routes have been built or are being planned. I am looking at the greater picture, and that is also involving the challenge of getting people out of cars, in larger numbers.
That wasn't your original complaint, but yes, Central definitely gets the most attention in the next three years – no question about that. But the longest stretch underway with Urban Cycleways funding is the Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive Shared Path and there are projects to the East, South and West in AT's three year programme – and the map further out is good.
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Hard News: Paths where we actually ride, in reply to Sam F,
If you’re talking east of Chamberlain, over St Lukes Road beside the motorway offramp, it’s still closed – in fact, they have now blown three successive deadlines since the contractors closed it off in late September.
We’re now told Easter but I struggle to believe it. It’s a full six months now since this section was closed, and even when it reopens, there won’t be any meaningful improvements.
Yup. NZTA have dropped the ball unbelievably badly on this. And I don’t believe the excuse that eventually emerged, that the holdup was so ducting could be done. For most of the time this stretch has been dug up and closed, there’s simply been nothing happening. Or, as Ben notes, nothing but parking.
It does appear they’re actually laying a path now, though. Hallelujah.
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Hard News: Paths where we actually ride, in reply to casahuia,
At Patiki road and Te Atatu they have done wonderfully well tunnelling under the roads. Its a shame they haven’t done this at both St Lukes and Carrington Roads when other works at these sites would have allowed this. Have I missed something?
Agreed – it's annoying. The NW cycleway is NZTA's gig, but preparing the roads on their side of the new bridge at St Lukes Road is Auckland Transport's job. I wonder if that complicated things.
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Hard News: Paths where we actually ride, in reply to Katy,
Totally agree. I suppose I would prefer to see the funding/priority go to these on-street routes first, rather than upgrading park pathways and implementing large scenic cycleways.
But from my point of view, the Grey Lynn Park path isn’t just pleasant, it’s immensely practical and the most direct, flat route – it's literally something you couldn't do in a car. As you may have gathered, I’m excited about it :-)
Don’t get me wrong, it’s brilliant all that is happening too, but it’s the streets that need to be cyclable first in my opinion if we are to see a culture shift, and I can’t see the point in waiting another 3+ years to start. I had been secretly hoping P Rd would get works started sooner so I’m just nursing a little disappointment :(
I wonder if they’re a little gun-shy after the Franklin Road nonsense.
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Hard News: Paths where we actually ride, in reply to Allan MacLachlan,
Agreed – that’s quite a stiff climb. But there’s not a lot getting away from the fact that you are climbing 60-80m over a short distance to get to Hillsborough Rd from the Onehunga Foreshore.
That's a showstopper that makes the route beyond many cyclists. Can't see it being remedied, unfortunately.
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Hard News: Paths where we actually ride, in reply to Katy,
Yes, though just for me personally Cox’s Bay park is the only one on the list that is near where I need to go regularly, and I would never ride in there on my own. Too many sharp turns and stairs which mean I have to either dismount or slow right down, which unfortunately just isn’t preferable to the visibility of being on the road
Yeah, I can see that with respect to the proposed upgrade of the greenway on the eastern side, which leads to the bottom of Wharf Road. They’d take out the irritating steps at the bridge over the creek and widen it where possible, but it will still be away from the road.
Otoh, my most common ride is from Point Chev to Farro and Countdown, so the improvement of the path in from Nottingham Street on the west side will be an absolute boon. It’s the way I ride anyway, but it’s awkward at present – I generally end up using the grass slope rather than fiddling about getting through the bars at the bottom of the path with a pannier attached. The tyre tracks over the grass suggest I'm not alone.
I am a bit surprised there’s no plan to improve the existing path through to Hukanui Crescent. That’s potentially a nice way for people to get to and from Ponsonby without braving the road madness of the retail strip (where cycle lanes would help but won’t fix the problem of cars flooding in and out of the various carparks).
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Speaker: Data Love or: How I learnt to…, in reply to Alastair Thompson,
Dr Kirk is here to make you feel better.
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