Cycling in Melbourne Australia
Main Yarra Trail to close for 2 years
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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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Will Satur on -
What Balls, this Government and I am sure every sitting paliament, state or federal will never put the emphasis on bike riding until they can make money out of it. They make more from fuel tax and our taxes for the priveledge of driving a car. They make no money from us cyclists, except when we use our cars, so why bother looking after us.
This will never change until we have a PM or State Leader who actually rides themselves or has a brain to realise that we are doing more for the enviroment than they would like to give us credit for.
I have seen the state of the tracks recently and the patch work of fixes put in is just that. Give us a corridor along the rail lines where there is soo much space you could have a road for a couple of cars. That would not only fix a lot of problems but would bring more people off the trains and onto the paths. It would also take out the angry motorist element from us having to use the road while they steal our paths and give us the safety we deserve.
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Permalink Reply by Oscar Garrido on -
Complete agree with you, Will. This is the photo I was talking about in my original post.
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Permalink Reply by Will Satur on
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I used to love riding MYT into the city from Chaddy. I miss it a lot as I lived and worked just opposite the track. Now that I cycle the opposite direction from Oakleigh to Dandy I can see how crap the cycling infrastructure is in this state. I follow the train tracks all the way from Oakleigh and have to cross over about 3 times because there is no direct route for me to take, yet there is soo much space beside the rail tracks that is not being utilised.
My only joy is that I am going against the traffic flow in the mornings so am quite comfortable yet coming home the other direction can get quite hairy especially at the Heatherton Rd roundabout where I could use an extra set of eyes.
I feel for you guys riding into the city, because although the amount of cyclists riding into the city has increased, the funding to make this state a healthier place has probably decreased and it certainely shows in the state they maintain the tracks.
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Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on -
Trust me, Will, Melbourne has the best cycling infrastructure in the country. It's just not protected as thoroughfare or amortised for repair or upgrade, but that's the case in the whole country. I'd rather cycle anywhere in Melbourne than in Hobart's safest streets (or Sydney at all.)
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Permalink Reply by Will Satur on
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I agree with you, when you are riding into the city from not to far away. Try riding in the other direction and you will see.
It's not good enough for them to rest on their laurels of having a great network of tracks. You need to make them work. Yet they have an ad on TV, Swap it, don't stop it. They really want people to swap their cars for pushies and yet they want to put nothing more into the paths we already have, just patch it up, after all we are just cyclists.
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Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on
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I commute in 15km from the Bentleigh/East Brighton/Moorabbin triangle, Will, but I ride for pleasure in any direction. No worse, no better whichever way I go. I will conceded I haven't seen much of the north and the only west I've done was during 2 RTBs, but east and southeast are the measure of any Australian cycling I've seen. I'd have to say, though, Warrigal Rd contradicts me, possibly the most pustulently car infested strip of bitumen I think I've ever seen, but it stands out because most routes are really quite good.
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Permalink Reply by Jamesa on -
I really enjoy riding the MYT to work - faster, more fun and makes sure that I am awake in the morning!
But, could be worse - the MYT is the best bike corridor I have ever used ad I am going to be sad when we have to revert to the road again - that section is always full of cars coming over the roundabout - sketchy as it is, will be worse when you have to join them in traffic again...
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Permalink Reply by Oscar Garrido on
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As I'm new to Melbourne, I haven't known the MYT before the section between Barkly Ave and Mary St was closed, but I've just learnt that it was initially suposed to be reopened as early as August 2010!
http://www.bv.com.au/general/change-the-world/40630/
That means it's going to be closed for a total of over 3 years!!! And that if they don't extend that once again. How many people are going to give up cycling in that time?
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Permalink Reply by Geoff Rehmet on -
Does anyone know if the sign in question happened to be posted on the 1st of April?
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Permalink Reply by Oscar Garrido on
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I hope you are right! In fact there is no mention to this in the CityLink website...
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Permalink Reply by AlexZ on -
The posters language does smack heavily of humour/irony, looks very like a 1st April conjob by a fourm member... ;P
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Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on
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The Green member is about as useful as an independent.
Car owners (and some converts to cycling, like me - I'm steve and I'm a petrol addict and I've been off the wagon for 2 years) and most politicians (even most Greens) are addicted to petrol. They are blind to the damage their drug causes, they won't listen to reason about the benefits of giving up their drug and they are mistrustful and resentful of those who have given up, being manipulative or outright aggressive in pursuing others to take up or resume the drug.
Road works are justified as more important because they are "more important", are "used by more people, therefore are mainstream" or "you're just a cyclist, you have no rights." All typical addict responses to challenging their addiction.
We should take subversive non-violent action, but nobody will, because those of us who cycle are mostly all recovering addicts.
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