Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Gillian on April 23, 2012 at 13:51

My best guess is that there is a recommended bicycle lane width but that it is certainly not "regulated" around Adelaide. Heather will no doubt jump in here and help you out.

Regarding the Gouger St bike lane, well, how do I put this? Maybe expand your horizons and embark on a 2 year Ph.D to explain why bike lanes come and go and often disappear inexpilcably into thin air at the worst possible moments.

I truly wish you well, but do you have time to change your assignment?

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Permalink Reply by Rob W on April 23, 2012 at 13:55

I agree with the last bit. As you approach traffic light and non traffic light intersections, it's almost like the road designers panic as they don't know what to do when a traffic lane cuts across a bike lane.

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Permalink Reply by adams on April 23, 2012 at 14:12

 

haha, thank you. the assignment is due this afternoon. it's okay, i am simply meant to make suggestions as to how the area could be improved.

it would be great if anyone knew the legal bike lane width?

thanks for your input :)

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Permalink Reply by Dahondude on April 23, 2012 at 14:21

According to Bicycle Victoria "The minimum width of a painted bike lane is 1.5m on 60km/h roads though up to 2.0m is preferred with 1.8m being comfortable for most riders."

Or go here to download the official guidelines https://www.onlinepublications.austroads.com.au/items/AP-G88-11

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Permalink Reply by Edward @bikeadelaide on April 23, 2012 at 14:33

If there is a regulated width, it is either too narrow or habitually ignored.

There is no bike lane on Gouger Street for the same reason there is no bike lane on many roads. It is too hard. Look around Adelaide and you will see that bike lanes are painted where it is possible without any other physical changes being required. Where a change might be required, such as where the road narrows, the bike lane just disappears. Drive along Portrush Road for a perfect example.

Sorry to sound cynical but bike lanes in Adelaide are rubbish.

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Permalink Reply by adams on April 23, 2012 at 14:37

 

Amazing, thank you so much.

I live off of Portrush Rd and yet avoid it like the plague, I completely understand. Much consideration goes into every route we take as cyclists, simply to get from A to B, but we can take it in our stride that we know the roads and the ones that suit us. Slowly but surely the infrastructure will become more accommodating....

 

Thanks again for all your help!

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Permalink Reply by MarkK on April 23, 2012 at 14:39

I think you need to take a realistic approach the cycling/bike lanes. just because theres a road that doesnt mean there should be a bike lane. the main function of Gouger St is parking! (if you think its for getting from A to B youre wrong). its a sad fact that successfull restaurants need parking, without parking restaurants slowly die; how many restaurants are there in Rundle Mall?  so if 90% of cars on a road are looking for a park it means the road will be unsafe for bikes.

and its not a case of "build it and it will be safe", just look at Pirie St, it has a great bike lane but i will bet you a $1000 you cant ride down it at lunch without having at least 1 incident, because there are too many cars and peds using the road.

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Permalink Reply by adams on April 23, 2012 at 14:56

 

i wasn't talking about getting from A to B using gouger. it's just an assignment, it's hypothetical, looking at the area and how it could potentially be improved. considering the amount of cyclists that use gouger street it seems a justfied suggestion to implement a bike lane. the high activity of cars constantly looking to park somewhere also comes down to the minimal parking available in the area. no doubt it's a congested street, that doesn't rule it out as a space that can be used harmoniously by cars and cyclists alike.

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Permalink Reply by MarkK on April 23, 2012 at 15:22

Before you can "improve" the street you first need to ask what’s wrong with it? Cyclists who want to get for Morphet to KW can use the 2 parallel roads either side, cyclists looking to shop or dine on the street don’t need a fast lane that keeps them priority. So in essence you have slow moving cars looking to park and cyclists who can easily travel between them to get to their own parks, both currently move harmoniously on Gouger. Ive seen hippies with flower baskets on the front of their bikes handle the street just fine, especially when you have cars sitting on the left of the road waiting for parks, cyclists can comfortable merge in with the slow traffic because its basically a fat single lane road.  A bike lane will destroy that.

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Permalink Reply by Dahondude on April 23, 2012 at 15:32

Gosh, some real optimists out there today!

Good luck with your assignment. I reckon Gouger would be a really interesting test case for trialling different types of bike lanes that still

a. allow cafe/restaurant seating on the footpath

b. allow car parking

c. maximise the visibility of cyclists presence.

Plenty of places I've visited in Europe where dedicated cycle lanes and pedestrians and cars co-exist...its just people need to set realistic expectations (ie you can't travel at 40km/h in a bike lane if there is a lot of pedestrian traffic and cars trying to park). I'd argue that the aim of a bike lane in a place like Gouger is to keep bikes separate from cars and pedestrians, while trying to maximise awareness of the presence of bikes to pedestrians and cars. Nothing can really ever stop cars suddenlly pulling into car parks or pedestrians suddenly stepping out in front of cars. Reducing Gouger to one slightly wider than normal lane, widening the footpath slightly and adding in a bike lane painted bright green with loads of signage to stop cars using the bike lane as a "passenger drop off zone" (similar to what happens in Kintore Ave every evening) would be the first thing I'd try.

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Permalink Reply by Tiny Avenger on April 23, 2012 at 19:06

Not only that, but there has been some interesting research done here in Australia and in the UK (they are two places that I know about) which has shown that traders vastly overestimate the number of their customers who arrive by car and significantly underestimate those who walk and/or cycle to get there. In both cases once presented with the facts the businesses actually lobbied for LESS car parking spaces and I think once car parking spaces were removed trade actually increased! (I would like to provide the links to the research but I'm sorry I don't have them at my finger tips but I expect a google search might unearth them...)

They have also just instituted in London a shared roadway outside the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A etc. called the Exhibition Road project where there is no footpath or bike paths and all users of the space have to share. Apparently it works - heard about it on ABC radio national....and you can read about it here.

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Permalink Reply by Edward @bikeadelaide on April 24, 2012 at 8:53

The shared space thing is a nice idea. It generally works best in streets that are not through streets for cars. Exhibition Road has had its fair share of headaches:

http://aseasyasridingabike.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/sharing-space-o...

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