Planned development on Norton Summit Rd will be dangerous to cyclists.
I received an email from the Black Hill Pony Club, who are situated on the left hand side at the bottom of Norton Summit Rd, a popular cycling destination for many of us. If you have ridden up that way recently you would have noticed all of the olive trees that covered the lower slopes behind the Pony Club have been cleared. The email from Reb says the land is slated for subdivision by the Government and some cyclists have expressed concern that the changes could adversely affect this popular route.
I rode up there yesterday just after reading Reb's email and my guess is with more houses in there, depending on access roads, there will be more cars travelling up the lower stages of the road past the first and second switchbacks. These is a road you can ride and often no see any cars at all. The road is already quite narrow with no shoulder.
How does everyone feel about this? I don't think we can stand in the way of progress but more highlight the dangers that increased population and use will incur.
What should we call for? Bicycle Lane? Widening? More signage warning of cyclists, flashing lights at certain times of the day?
The BHPC have a petition on their gate and are asking cyclists to sign it. If you can take the time to abandon your new PB and stop off and leave your mark Reb would appreciate it. They need to take it down this Thursday. I will offer your comments on this post as acknowledgement of the issue and on behalf of this site I will write to the Minister of Transport, Patrick Conlon.
Please spread the word and ask your cycling friends to stop off or join Adelaide Cyclists and have their say. Maybe someone could take a photo for us.
.. an update from the Black Hill PC is here.
Norton Summit Rd (Pic: Tom Nguyen Adelaide (Flickr.com/ CC)
I rode up there yesterday just after reading Reb's email and my guess is with more houses in there, depending on access roads, there will be more cars travelling up the lower stages of the road past the first and second switchbacks. These is a road you can ride and often no see any cars at all. The road is already quite narrow with no shoulder.
How does everyone feel about this? I don't think we can stand in the way of progress but more highlight the dangers that increased population and use will incur.
What should we call for? Bicycle Lane? Widening? More signage warning of cyclists, flashing lights at certain times of the day?
The BHPC have a petition on their gate and are asking cyclists to sign it. If you can take the time to abandon your new PB and stop off and leave your mark Reb would appreciate it. They need to take it down this Thursday. I will offer your comments on this post as acknowledgement of the issue and on behalf of this site I will write to the Minister of Transport, Patrick Conlon.
Please spread the word and ask your cycling friends to stop off or join Adelaide Cyclists and have their say. Maybe someone could take a photo for us.
.. an update from the Black Hill PC is here.
Norton Summit Rd (Pic: Tom Nguyen Adelaide (Flickr.com/ CC)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Matthew Johns on -
Norton Summit Rd is a well used and safe passage up into the hills. Part of it's popularity is due to the fact that there is only a small amount of vehicular traffic that use this road, in part due to the fact that there is an alternative in Old Norton Summit Rd and partly due to Norton Summit Rd often being covered with cyclists. If the development goes ahead without taking into account the use of the road and the increase volume of traffic, without improving the road width/safety then we will lose an asset, in cycling terms. The Government apparently prides itself on it's pro-activeness regrading cycling safety. Here is an opportunity to promote this. We have an ally in the Black Hill Pony Club, let's band together and forward both our plights rather than criticize their pastime. As we know there are many that criticize ours. Let's not be complacent and wait and see what happens! Make some noise and take it to the Government.
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Permalink Reply by Hanna Schulz on
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The local MP for the area, John Gardner, has been collecting petitions for the Black Hill Pony Club, so would probably also be a good person to approach with the feedback from this forum, as well as Patrick Conlon.
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Permalink Reply by Tom Adams on -
Hi
I had been wondering about the tree clearing. Having looked on Google Maps, I think the news of the (likely) inclusion of access roads to Kintyre and Glen Stuart Rds will be a relief. I think the Pony Club people have a good point about us all having riding in common and about having opportunities to cooporate. WRT painting lines only on the side: I don't think they work very well on their own; a barrier might be better, but on a road of this size without many $M to widen the road into the hill or over the edge, it's not possible. Writing to P Conlon is a good idea to get his attention, but expect a 3 month delay before a reply (I waited this long when I wrote about West Tce to Linear Pk access during Tram work). NS Rd is the road I use most to ride into the hills, and it would be a great loss if it became too unsafe.
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Permalink Reply by Stewart Caldwell on
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A bike lane would be great, there are too many close calls on corners on this road.
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