southbank bikeway (where is that vomit smily). A direct link was originally proposed in planning stages but the CBD BUG was told that the land was to unstable. However new information has come to light and it seams that the Government instead wanted to cut corners. (Sounds formilure? remember the Normanby cycle link, the government wanted to cut out the southern access to collage road, now with that included it would be safe to say half of all users of the link come from the Southern access to collage road)
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au
'Too expensive' to link riverside cycle paths: Government
TONY MOORE
October 30, 2009
The State Government did not connect Brisbane's Bicentennial Bikeway along the Brisbane River to the new $63 million cross-river Kurilpa pedestrian and cycleway because it was too expensive, a spokesman admitted last night.
Bicycle Queensland had at first asked that the new bridge join the Bicentennial Bikeway, which runs along Coronation Drive and through to the Queensland University of Technology.
It has proven to be one of the most popular cycle paths in the city.
The Kurilpa Bridge opened in October with cyclists riding from the bridge down dedicated cycling lanes on to Tank Street and George Street for one block.
It provides a link to the privately-run cycle centre in King George Square but does not link to other bike paths.
The fact the two popular cycleways do not meet remains a lively discussion point amongst Brisbane cyclists.
"They looked at it back in January 2005 but they decided it would not be possible," a spokesman for Public Works Minister Rob Schwarten said.
He said the design team found a long incline would be needed for cyclists to rise more than 15 metres from the Bicentennial Bikeway to the new bridge.
"They looked at lifts but found they would need two lifts and that would be too expensive and impractical," the spokesman said.
Cyclists ride in a wide circle on the South Brisbane side to rise up on to the bridge, while the Riverside Expressway prevents this on the city side of the bridge.
Bicycle Queensland development officer Andrew Demack said the organisation had raised the issue of linking the bikeway with the bridge.
"It would have been really nice in a perfect world but Brisbane is not part of a perfect world yet," Mr Demack said.
"We understand that it was under consideration but there all sorts of things that are under consideration at different points in time that don't happen."
Bicycle Queensland is pressing for the cycle lanes along George Street to be pushed down to Parliament House and up Edward Street from the Botanical Gardens.
They are now also focusing attention on Brisbane's north, saying there is a break in the chain of bike paths approaching the Royal Brisbane Hospital on Bowen Bridge Road.
Mr Demack said Bicycle Queensland had approached the Airport Link project team about new bikeways from Brisbane's inner-northern suburbs.
A spokeswoman for the Airport Link project said new bikeways would be in place progressively until 2014.
They will include:
- new cycleways along Breakfast Creek under Lutwyche Road to the new Lutwyche bus station;
- a land bridge and cycleway at Bowen Hills as part of the Clem 7 project;
- cycle paths near Kedron Brook through to Sandgate Road and out to the Airport and;
- new bikeways through Kalinga Park at Clayfield
