Footpath along ICB between Musgrave and Caxton

[AlexCom]

Hi All, I'm new to this forum but just wrote this letter to council for a request to widen or upgrade the footpath along the along ICB between Musgrave and Caxton. If anyone here commutes via that route please get in touch with council to support the cause. http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-co ... te-council

Cheers,
Alex

Letter below
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Dear Council,

This morning I was verbally abused by a frustrated pedestrian when I politely asked to pass him on the narrow footpath on the west side of the inner city bypass between Musgrave road and Caxton street. The gentleman ignored several polite requests to move aside before turning around and telling me that he was “passed by 20 cyclists a day” on that stretch of footpath and was sick of moving over. He proceeded to tell me that the footpath was for “pedestrian use only” and asked me whether I was “too scared to ride on the road?”. I responded that the footpath was shared use and that I’d politely asked him to move. The unpleasantness of the situation aside, this confrontation highlights how inadequate this footpath is for dual pedestrian and cyclist use, which is not merely an issue of convenience- it is a major safety concern that could result in a road-related fatality. In order for a cyclist and pedestrian to pass each other (or even two pedestrians), one has to move close to the traffic on the busy off ramp for the ICB that leads up to Musgrave road. Furthermore, the narrow concrete footpath is not at an even level with the grass strip between footpath and gutter, which could cause someone to trip or fall off their bike into the oncoming traffic. This footpath is the only direct connection between Red Hill/Kelvin Grove to the fantastic walkway/cycleway that leads from Suncorp stadium to the river side bikeway on Coronation drive. Both commuters and the patrons of Suncorp stadium heavily use this stretch of footpath so the issue requires urgent attention.

I would like to see the footpath widened, or perhaps even rebuilt to include dedicated cyclist and pedestrian lanes. The part of the footpath near Musgrave street is narrow and confined by a large sound barrier but additional space could be reclaimed from the road.

In summary
-The footpath on the west side of the inner city bypass between Musgrave road and Caxton street is narrow and hazardous for cyclists and pedestrians
-This footpath is regularly used by commuters and is a vital link to the walk/cycleway that leads to the bikeway along coronation drive so warrants urgent attention

Thanks,
Alex Combes, PhD
35 White Street
Kelvin Grove

[elantra]

Good on yer for trying Alex.
It is easy to get disenchanted with brisbane's sometimes erratic attempts to create cycle infrastructure.
I am not exactly familiar with that footpath, but i would have thought that it is a bit steep for comfortable cycling.

To be honest i try to avoid hills like that, and from Suncorp stadium you can do a quick right up Caxton St and left onto Petrie Terrace, and left again onto Musgrave Rd.
Anyway well done for trying, and let us know if you get a response.
Steve

[brett.hooker]

Good work!!!
I will copy/paste and submit one too.
I use that path from time to time as well and it is a shocker... Can't imagine how two bikes would pass each other at all...

[AlexCom]

Thanks Elantra, Yes it is steep (easy going to work, hard coming home!) but it's direct. I sometimes use the Caxton/Petrie route you mention on the way home but it's not a good solution coming towards the river. Thanks for the support. Will post the response.

Cheers

[vaeske]

ah yeah, i remember this footpath now...coming off the ICB onto Musgrave Road. On many occasions, cyclists trying to go up or down this footpath, sometimes with pedestrians sometimes pedestrians who have headphones and can't hear anything. I've seen a few cyclists stack it too going down the hill because people couldn't hear them. it certainly is dangerous considering drivers could be speeding up that hill trying to catch the green.

Good on you for trying Alex. Here's to a favourable response from BCC.