OK - so I had a couple of rants about the upgrade to the Dandenong Creek trail associated with the Eastlink project.
Fair enough too, the construction works took much longer than advertised and the detours provided didn't make for enjoyable riding!
But the trail was finally opened back in mid-September and I have been enjoying the new path ever since.
The gravel track between Boronia Road and the Koomba Park Boardwalk has been replaced with a wide concrete path, a number of sharp turns have been smoothed out and the trail signage has been significantly increased. This has greatly improved this section of the Dandenong Creek trail. Fantastic work!
Comments
If you duplicated the suspended path on the north side of the creek, the money spent on the proposed bridge to the east of Glenferrie Rd could be spent on the path duplication, as that bridge would no longer be required. ie heading into the CBD cyclists would just stay on the north side with a ramp down to a new underpass at Glenferrie Rd. Of course there is the cost of the path and an additional bridge over the Yarra is still required but a lot more peds and cyclists would be a lot more happier. More problems are resolved simultaneously.
Out of interest if there were two paths hanging under the tollway, how would you prefer they be used?
1) both paths have cyclists and peds ie simple duplication of existing arrangement 2) each path is one way ie one is inbound to the cbd and one outbound from the cbd; paths are used by cyclists and peds all going the same way 3) Peds use one path and cyclists use the other and both paths are bidirectional
And would every be possible to get people to follow the rules, if 2 or 3 was your preference?
I agree. That's a bottleneck on the bridge at Glenferrie Rd, and I'm sure plenty of non-cyclists aren't aware that it's actually designated as a shared pathway. In any case, the conflicts here could be avoided by a well-placed bridge, and I've often thought it was quite a do-able thing.
Nice idea about an extra lane on the suspended pathway too.
Zed: Even I might be more inclined to use the underpass there if i didn't have to do the stupid loop thing straight after it.. as it stands i almost always go to the pedestrian lights and have a little rest while waiting for them to change.
Hi Treadly
Got the latest Boroondara Gardiner Ward "News Update". Besides trying to convince us that the Gardiner Creek gap master plan is a good idea, which it isn't, it also mentioned this:
' "Council is also pressing the State Government and Transurban to build a bridge under the freeway before Glenferrie Rd", said Cr Ross.'
As I understand it, the bridge would be located to the east of Glenferrie Rd, where the current tollway project office is located. So travelling towards the CBD you cross from the north side of the creek to the south side of the creek on the new bridge and then west on the smaller existing path and down and under Glenferrie Rd.
This would: 1) stops suicidal dashes across Glenferrie Rd against the pedestrian red lights 2) removes the existing dog leg and conflict with pedestrians going from the station to the Melb Uni Hawthorn campus 3) riders unfamiliar with the area won't get lost at the dog leg 4) speed up the CBD trip
So the bridge looks like a good idea that should be promoted.
While we're adding lanes to the tollway, why not add in an extra bike lane under the tollway? The existing one is far too narrow and highly trafficked with cyclists (one every 30 seconds) plus just as many joggers and walkers who would also benefit.
Zed