As anticipated on Treadly&Me back in May, this has been a major inconvenience as I regularly ride to work on this route.
The fact that Thiess John Holland originally slated the Trail closure for only three weeks:
as of Friday 15 June, theKoomba Park carpark on Boronia Road (melways Map 63 D4/5) and the main trail between Boronia Road and Mountain Highway will be closed for three weeks
gave me hope that I wouldn't have to push my treadly along the detour (which runs along the very busy Wantirna Rd and Mountain Hwy) for too long!
However, as reported in the Knox Leader by Will Jackson on 24 July
Cold snap hinders work on new bicycle paths
title="Weather delays at Koomba Park Trail" />
Cyclists are getting anxious about when the new bicycle paths will be completed.
Wet weather has delayed the construction of new cycle trails in Wantirna's Koomba Park.
Now I guess I can put up with this - after all the good June and July rains have been great for drought-stricken Melbourne, and to their credit Thiess John Holland have been providing regular email updates on the construction works and anticipated opening date.
But the promised opening date continues to be pushed back and the nice new concrete shared path remains fenced off…
while cyclist and pedestrains continue to negotiate the detour along major roads.
This short section along the verge of Mountain Hwy near the entrance to the Koomba Park carpark is particularly hair-raising in peak hour traffic!!
According to Thiess John Holland:
Parks Victoria still won't let us open the trail due to a grey area concerning liability.
While Parks Victoria says:
The Koomba Park area is still an active work site,
Safety and security for the site is the responsibility of TJH.
As the site is the responsibility of TJH the decision to open sections of the path lies with TJH.
Parks Victoria will not be responsible for the site until all works are complete.
Meanwhile the regular users of the Dandenong Creek trail in Koomba Park continue to wait, with the lastest from Thiess John Holland:
We understand your frustration at having to use the detour route. At this point in time it is possible that the path will remain closed until some time around mid-August.
Too right, I'm frustrated - Grrrrrrrr!!!
Comments
Found an opening in temporary fence around the Koomba Park trail yesterday so I went for a ride along the new path. It's very nice. I can't understand why it hasn't been opened to cyclists and pedestrians as all the concreting work seems to have been done. Hopefully it won't be too long before they take down the fences and you can use it Dr Homebrew.
Thanks for the update Rufus. I endured yet another frustrating ride on the Mountain Hwy detour this morning. I can't wait for the new path to be opened. According to the dates on the detour signage, detours will continue to be in place until quote "late August" Ah, so definitive -probably at least another week to go. Grrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!! DrHB