[bikeqld] Kurilpa Bridge opening Sunday 4 October

[kim]

Thanks Mich,
I can see the obvious pedestrian benefits to link up with the new arts 
precinct. I had questioned when they refurbished the Victoria Bridge 
walkway railings and lights, why they did not put in light weight shade 
canopies and was told that the bridge was not strong enough to support 
these and I guess too that the Kurillpa Bridge was in the pipeline at 
that stage. At least this new bridge has some shade for pedestrians 
although it may cause the same dilemma as it moves across during the day 
as on the Goodwill. I think they should not bother to divide it 
directionally, leave it up to common sense. It does connect ok into 
Riverside Drv on that end of West End which will be good when that is 
further developed but when you look at the new Riverside Drv bikeway/ 
shared path you have to wonder if Council has learned anything from 
their experience with the Centennial bikeway on the other side of the 
river. This new path is not separated or illuminated and there are no 
watering holes or shelters along the way. At one point on the unlit path 
you just run head on into a railing/fence strung across this path, with 
no reflective devices or lighting to announce its presence. I really 
don't get the impression that this pathway is designed to carry cycle 
traffic and question the merits of making the effort to connect into 
this path as opposed to having a good connection into the Melbourne St 
lanes (and don't forget we have had a few cycle accidents there from the 
Vic Bridge and Grey St Bridge including a fatality) perhaps there is 
more planned to connect these links up?

The connection into what is a very main cycleway (the North Quay end of 
the Centennial) is pretty round about. That seems like a real 
shortcoming given that the Melbourne St/ Vic Bridge bikeway similarly 
has no direct connection. I also wonder if this bridge was ever planned 
to fit in with proposed Northbank developments at the time, or like most 
other things was done in isolation.

I am sure the CBD side was more challenging. I can recall Alton from the 
ATU saying it was difficult to work with the State Gov on that project. 
I was there yesterday afternoon looking at the route when coincidently I 
ran into Simon (Alton's sucessor) from the ATU on his way home. I 
chatted for a short while. Simon also confirmed that basically State Gov 
just landed a bridge on Tank St and said 'just work with that'. It was 
not necessarily the most optimal place as far as bikes were concerned. 
Simon did make a good point in that it was quite a 'win' to actually get 
back some road real estate for bike only purposes, which they have done. 
I am puzzled by the build out on the corner of George St and Herschel 
St. I cant remember how that used to be, I think it was just a left turn 
lane but not sure as there is a dicky arrangement with a bus lane after 
you cross Herschel St. It kind of looks temporary perhaps because of the 
gantry works there for the new Courts building but we may all be 
surprised if it winds up being permanent and you have to cut the corner 
on the footpath through pedestrians.

The exit from Parklands Blvd onto Roma St does not seem to have changed. 
If you are turning right onto Roma to do this new dog leg onto Tank St 
do you take it from the green bike lane on the left or do you take the 
regular lane? Right now it seems like left turning cars may conflict 
with right turning bikes. There is a related issue here with the 
proposed changes to the QRR which never came about earlier this year. 
Perhaps a storage bay in front of the car stop line might be a solution. 
There is also the footpath and pedestrian/cycle crossing at that point 
which maybe BCC are intending to be used. I noticed that one of the 
green crossing bicycles was out of order there too, not a good look for 
a grand opening!

I actually think they could have provided a more direct link into the 
QUT KG campus rather than that expensive underpass. We already had a 
lightly used route (Parkland Blvd) which lands you right out at Gregory 
Tce intersection. Surely we could have put a bike facility on-road there 
from which you can access the bridge across the ICB and rail to KG 
campus and  better used the money elsewhere? Right now the tunnel takes 
you up the far end and you end up having to come back along the old path 
behind the schools and by the railway which is a bit of a no-mans land, 
unlit, unsafe at night, druggie graffitti abound and plenty of bushes 
adjacent, not exactly a safe afterhours commute and yet the new tunnel 
and parkland route have all the lights and cameras. I think if the 
original plan to connect to the ICB had happened it could have been 
fine, but now that the ICB looks like being a total no go zone for bikes 
its a damn shame and just another pleasant ride in a park.

I am not sure about the benefits that will be afforded to the Vic Bridge 
peds, I would have thought that if we spent 60+ on the new pedestrian 
bridge we might count on pedestrians using it and then reconfigure the 
Vic bridge for cyclists. I am not sure of the issue with cyclists 
holding up buses that you mention on the Vic.

k



mich rolling wrote:
> The Kurilpa Bridge is probably aimed at all of the above.
>
> 1. It completes a pedestrian loop from Roma Street station and gardens, 
> to Queens Street Mall (for morning tea), through the Botanic Gardens,
>  South Bank (for lunch), GOMA (for smoko)and back to Roma Street 
>
> 2. Cycle link from West End development zone, through George/Roma Street 
> legal precinct, up to Normandy and Kelvin Grove Creative Industries and
>  out to Royal Brisbane Hospital health precinct.
>
> 3. Pedestrian pressure relief on the Victoria Bridge to allow Victoria 
> Bridge to be more friendly to remaining peds (with less chance of cyclists
>  holding up buses)
>
> 1,2&3 all boost the cycle network so cyclists still win whatever the 
> ulterior motives.
>
> Similarly, Toowong freeway bridge was as much about avoiding disruption to
>  freeway traffic as it was about increasing safety/amenity for cyclists.
>  Ditto Normandy although that was more directly about cyclists. Always 
> interesting that politicians dress these facilities up as cycle provision
>  but neglect to nominate their effect on freeing car traffic (which would 
> justify paying for the facilities from roads funds rather than Active
>  Transport budgets).
>
> Anyone have other ideas?
>
>
>
>
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