Posts by Russell Brown
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Hard News: We can make things better here, in reply to Matthew Poole,
Surely that depends on their destination and origin, once the monstrosity that will be the SH18/SH1 interchange is constructed? If they’re on the inner part of the SH20/SH16/SH1 loop it will make sense to go via CMJ, but if their journey points are west of SH20/SH16 and north of SH18/SH1 it would make more sense to go across the top. Roughly speaking, obviously.
True. But they're still not using us as a thoroughfare.
Tbh, I'm not sure about where the traffic would flow and maybe I'm being optimistic about Meola > Point Chev. But There won't be anyone coming through us on Great North Road to get to the airport/Onehunga because there won't be access to the Waterview Connection.
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Hard News: We can make things better here, in reply to Glenn Pearce,
Have you seen any figures regarding the expected reduction on Meola/Pt Chev traffic?
I would have thought that's mostly people doing the West - North Shore commute which won't really be altered by SH20?Currently, we're the main route through to SH20, which accounts for quite a lot of traffic. The Carrington-Woodward-Richardson stretch -- which is really just a way to get to and from the existing SH20 en route to the airport -- isn't at all suited for the volumes it carries and the Richardson/New North Road intersection is just terrible.
Post Waterview it will make more sense for West-North commuters to stay on the motorway and use the interchange at the city end. It will make getting to the Mt Albert railway station more attractive too.
I'm a bit wary about the impact around Western Springs -- the intention seems to be for all the Western Bays traffic to go there -- but I think in other areas there will be a traffic reduction.
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Hard News: Works in progress, in reply to Bart Janssen,
This does sound like a proper mess.
Put stop signs on the cross streets so the cycle route has right of way instead of demanding the cyclist stop every 500m and lose all momentum.
Which seems a far more practical idea than all that traffic-calming which, I gather, just makes things dicier for the cyclists it's meant to help.
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Hard News: We can make things better here, in reply to Rik,
Yep – original investment back in 2009 was $50m, with another $100m on top of that. Not enough to keep the Green party happy of course, but not a bad start.
No, as Steve says, the work in Auckland so far has either come from the council/AT or as mitigation on NZTA roading projects. The New Zealand Cycle Trail hasn’t featured.
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Hard News: Works in progress, in reply to Sam F,
I noticed yesterday that somebody has, in fact, beaten a path through the trees between Ian McKinnon and Suffolk Street – there was a guy riding a bike over it… of course I would never endorse local PAS’ers getting out with pruning shears to make it more usable as a genuine shortcut…
I'm game. It's a public park so I sort of own it ;-)
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Hard News: Works in progress, in reply to Tom Semmens,
But imagine if a subsidised “government” electric bike was available at the Warehouse for, say, $250. For a lot of people, those show stoppers would vanish. For hilly and windy NZ, mass adoption of electric bikes could be a Kiwi solution for Kiwi terrain.
I popped in on the people hiring out electric bikes on Waiheke yesterday. That's certainly a great solution for the island -- especially once they're able to get a presence down at Matiatia. I was quite impressed by the variety of bikes available too -- from converted mountain bikes to purpose-built cycles.
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Hard News: We can make things better here, in reply to Mark Graham,
The Pohutukawa Savers group will be there to voice concerns over losing the six trees opposite MoTaT. We're hoping for lots of people to come along to show support.
Thanks Mark! I've added that to the post.
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Hard News: We can make things better here, in reply to Rik,
It’s all good…and in no small way due to Nationals ongoing commitment and funding for national cycleways. Nice one, National!
Actually, I don't think the national cycleway project has anything at all to do with it. There's nothing even listed for Auckland on its website.
But from this year, there will be an extra $25 million a year in urban cycleway funding, so that's good. It's not investment on the level proposed by other parties, but it is good.
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Hard News: Works in progress, in reply to BenWilson,
” UPHILL?, why does it have to be so hard for something we are entitled to”
The idea of making cycleways more usable by making them less hilly is also what they do with roads. It’s not a crazy idea, unless you basically have no idea about what riding a bike for transport actually involves.
Yes. Auckland’s hills are the essentially the gap between reality and the nice things people say about cycling infrastructure in Amsterdam, New York or London.
They’re a showstopper for new and casual cyclists, and they help make the advocates’ idea that everyone should just ride around in their normal street clothes all year a bit unrealistic. (Seriously: I get weary of being lectured about wearing activewear when I ride.)
When Waterview is completed, there will be a cycleway from harbour to harbour – but it will continue to be flawed by the crazy 1km climb northbound to Hillsborough Road. I can do it, but I generally avoid it and take my chances on the roads on the other side of the motorway. Morning commuters and families riding at the weekend don’t really have much of a show. It’s just too hard.
But that would have cost a lot to fix. What we’re talking about for the SH16 cycleway at Newton could hardly be easier or cheaper. Given the resources going into the rest of the cycleway, it seems crazy not to do this.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Wild in the…, in reply to David R,
Thanks for hipping me to Norman Jay, playing for free, no less!
Truly, Auckland is blessed :)
*Puts on some of the Norman Jay Good Times CD’s in giddy anticipation*I know, right? Amazing. I hope Auckland turns out big-time for this treat.
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