Melbourne Cyclist

Cycling in Melbourne Australia

Main Yarra Trail to close for 2 years

I moved to Melbourne 6 months ago and one of the reasons was Melbourne's network of bike lanes and cycleways. This combined with the lack of hills made it very inviting for someone like me who prefers to ride rather than taking public transport or car if possible. I have been enjoying all of it since then and I love it!
One of the highlights is the Main Yarra Trail, which I use to ride to work every Thursday. There is one short section of it which is currently closed due to roadworks on the adjacent freeway, but a very well signalised detour is in place and I don't really mind the extra 500 m or so, but I'm certainly looking forward to the roadworks being finished and the bike path being open again, as I think this would cut the trip by at least 2 or 3 minutes. The signs state that the path should reopen by March 2011, and I was getting a bit unpatient already when this morning I saw a piece of paper stuck on to the sign. I thought that would be some update on the state of the roadworks, possibly advising that it might take a bit longer than planned. Nothing unusual. But, well... here is the notice, please read carefully.

What are these people thinking? I really don't understand which kind of logic they use. That cycle way is a true freeway for bicycles, and in peak hours you bikes stream to and from the city. Surely it would do more good to upgrade this bikeway so that even more people can use it, rather than closing it to make space for yet one more lane in the freeway? Where are all these cyclists going to go? Are they going to drive instead? In the new lane? So it can get full really quickly, so they need to build yet a new one and so on?
Not to mention the need to "prioritise motorist transportation projects above those of bicycle and public transport", which, what can I say, is just plain wrong, in my humble opinion. But that's what victorians apparently have voted for. Hang on? Didn't they also vote a Green member of Parliament? I don't understand...

Tags: Bike, Main, Trail, Yarra, paths

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Permalink Reply by AlexZ on April 5, 2011 at 1:54pm

From BV In The Loop Member news 10 March 2011:

 

"

Anger boiling over delays on Yarra Trail

10 March 2011. The year-long closure of the Main Yarra Trail at Burnley is to get worse with the diversion now extended until at least July, causing massive disruption to the thousands of riders on the route each day.

Riders are at the end of their tether as the reopening of the trail is now a year later than originally promised.

Various re-opening dates have been announced, only to be abandoned, leaving riders to continue negotiating the circuitous and poorly executed detour around the Monash Freeway strengthening works.

The latest delay is due to asbestos being found buried under the freeway.

There can be few other minor public works projects that have gone so far beyond schedule than this project.

Bike riders have been treated with contemptuous disregard.

No doubt embarrassed by the debacle, the M1 Alliance which is responsible for the project, is considering a list of possible improvements to the trail submitted by Bicycle Victoria.

We have asked that they offset the inconvenience caused by investing in improvements to the trail.

Please write to M1 Alliance and politely request that they repay the goodwill shown to them by the bike riding community as we have suffered from their mismanagement."

 

And CItyLink website says:

 

"

IMPORTANT: Main Yarra Trail closure - April 2010 to July 2011

There will be a delay to the reopening of the Main Yarra Trail between Barkly Avenue and Mary Street. It is now scheduled to open in July 2011. A number of unexpected issues have caused a delay to our strengthening work.

 

CityLink apologises for the inconvenience, but to ensure the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and our construction workers the prolonged closure is necessary.

 

CityLink is working hard to complete the strengthening works in the shortest possible timeframe and will reopen the trail prior to July if possible.

 

We thank you for your patience.

 

You can download a detour route for motorists or detour route for bicyclists."

 

http://www.citylink.com.au/1688.jsp

 

 

 

 

I still vote that the photographed poster is an April fool's prank...... ;P

Permalink Reply by John E. on April 5, 2011 at 2:23pm

Yep, definite pisstake, good job too. If only they would use their talents for good instead of evil ie:

rewrite it to read that the M1 will be closed for two years for the up grade of the bicycle path!

Permalink Reply by ChrisS on April 5, 2011 at 3:29pm

Apologies for going OT, but don't understand this bit

 

Riders are at the end of their tether

 

I'm not a freaking horse.

Permalink Reply by ChrisS on April 5, 2011 at 4:53pm
Permalink Reply by Jamesa on April 5, 2011 at 5:08pm
Classic.  Is the sign still up?
Permalink Reply by ChrisS on April 7, 2011 at 2:42pm

Trollololololo ...

 


Permalink Reply by Adrian Wal on April 5, 2011 at 9:03pm

I was waiting for the photo of the sign. That looks about as realistic as a Greens media release saying if they were in government they would have trams running everywhere. 

 

You could buy some traffic cones from Bunnings (I believe I have seen them there), cordon off the left lane of the Monash and put up some bike lane signs (which you can order online). Something along the lines of the 2 left lanes of the Westgate being cordoned off for bikes for Around The Bay In A Day. 

Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on April 6, 2011 at 8:55am

Here is the other sides' perspective, for "fairness" :-D

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C7AYsfB_dM

Permalink Reply by Mark Donnellan on April 6, 2011 at 4:39pm

Some cyclists are shaving up to a second off their journey by riding on the wrong side of the road to avoid the roundabout at Coppin and Barkly Streets corner, on the M1 diversion.

Obviously this is only partly-dangerous for the rider and any perceptions, by other road users or park users, about the legitimacy of cycling is fleeting.

Permalink Reply by Adrian Tritschler on April 6, 2011 at 5:38pm

I'll hunt through my helmet-cam video footage if you like, can show you dozens of motorists around Clayton and Oakleigh who either drive straight over the top of roundabouts or turn right by going anti-clockwise around them.  Pretty damn terrifying when they do it head-on at you.  Some people do it on bikes too.

 

Some people are idiots, some on foot, some in cars, some on bikes.  They'll keep on doing it while the chances of being penalised are minimal.

 

Permalink Reply by Catherine Edwards on April 7, 2011 at 3:21pm

CityLink advises that there are no additional works being done and we are committed to completing the works which impact the Yarra trail by July 2011.  Changes to these signs were not made by CityLink and have now been removed.

Permalink Reply by ChrisS on April 7, 2011 at 3:39pm
Thank you Catherine, your feedback clarifying the matter is very much appreciated. Good on you for responding to this. ;)

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