Kenmore - Fig Tree Pocket Rd - Armco rail strike risk

Fig Tree Pocket Road provides a connection into the Western Freeway Bikeway from the Cubberla Creek bikeway. The road crosses the Centenary Highway as an overpass. On one side of this overpass bridge there is a narrow shared path for pedestrians and cyclists about 1.3m wide. This path is flanked by the rear side of Armco guard rail. The rear side of Armco rail supports are galvanised steel 'U' section posts. These present a serious strike risk for cyclists in normal travel on this narrow section of bikeway and even more in the event of an accident where a cyclist might fall on these posts.

These same posts seem to have presented a similar hazard to Telstra workers adjacent to a Telstra service pit where the two adjacent posts have had their sharp corners hammered over.

On the Eastern side of the overpass where the path curls around and under to the Western Arterial Bikeway there seems to have been some effort made to protect users from the sharp posts with a sheet of galvanised steel being fitted to provide a smooth strike surface on the bend in the path. The guard rail construction itself is newer and features 'C' section posts rather than the 'U' sections and the corners are noticeably rounded off, although still a strike risk if left uncovered. It is uncertain as to when that section of guard rail was installed/modified and whether it was in response to a cyclist injury or complaint.