Yes it’s been going on for a long time, but hopefully we should soon see some action with the Sandy Bay Walking and Cycling Project. Thanks to The Mercury for this article.
LINDA SMITH | June 10, 2013 12.01am
“A $1.2 MILLION Sandy Bay cycleway could be operational by the end of the year if the plan gets the go-ahead from Hobart City Council this week.
A new report, to be presented to aldermen at tomorrow night’s council meeting, recommends bike lanes be painted on the 3km stretch of Sandy Bay Rd from Marieville Esplanade to Long Point Rd, to provide a dedicated space for cyclists.
It is a cheaper and more low-impact proposal than the segregated Copenhagen-style bike routes previously considered.
If approved, planning work for the painted bike lanes is expected to begin immediately, with the cycleway to be operational later this year.
Almost two thirds of the cost is expected to be covered by a $749,000 grant from the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery program, with plans to seek additional funding, possibly from the State Government.
A cycleway at Sandy Bay has been a hot topic since 2006 when a council report first recommended a link between Battery Point and the city’s southern boundary at Taroona.
Last year council staff were asked to investigate a range of possible options.
The first was a $4m Copenhagen-style, two-directional on-road bike lane, which would have used a low barrier to separate cars and bikes on the road and resulted in the loss of 68 parking spaces.
The second $4.5m proposal involved widening the footpath to create a two-directional shared off-road facility for cyclists and pedestrians, similar to the Intercity Cycleway, with a loss of 18 parking spaces.
However, the third $1.2m option for painted bike lanes on both sides of the road, with the loss of 22 parking spaces, emerged as the most likely.
Cars will still be able to park in some sections of the bike lanes, but space will be provided for cyclists to safely pass while staying within the lane boundaries.
The report recommends councillors support the painted option, which “delivers good benefits for cyclists and low adverse impacts for other road users” and will have less impact on Sandy Bay Rd residents and businesses.
A report will be prepared on options for the section of Sandy Bay Rd from Long Point Rd to the city’s southern boundary.”
