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Commonwealth Avenue Bridge dangerous
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:31 pm
by Ross
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-new ... 266v8.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Near-miss reveals bridge danger
September 20, 2012
Megan Doherty
A cyclist falling over a railing and on to the road of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge has highlighted the need for extra safety on the bridge.
A terrifying near-miss in which a cyclist fell over a railing and on to the road of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge has highlighted the need for extra safety on the bridge.
National Capital Authority chief executive Gary Rake has confirmed the railing on the western footpath of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge needs to be raised at a cost of $3 million but the money won't be available within its rolling capital work budget until 2015-16.
If the situation is judged to be too dangerous in the meantime, the western footpath of the bridge could be changed to a demount zone – only to be used by pedestrians and people walking their bikes. The eastern footpath of the bridge has a higher railing.
"We would recommend that cyclists concerned about potential safety risks use the eastern side," Mr Rake said.
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"We'll be assessing the safety of the western side and if it turns out that it's not appropriate for cyclists to continue ride across it, we'd consider making it a dismount zone, so an area only available to pedestrians and people walking their bicycles until we can upgrade it."
Mr Rake said the authority had about $10 million a year for capital works but the next few years would be consumed by the last of the repair work to Scrivener Dam and construction of the $10 million Bowen Drive crossing.
"We always have to prioritise the work that we do," he said.
He confirmed two cyclists collided on the western footpath of the bridge about six weeks ago. One fell over the railing on to the road of the bridge, but as the peak hour traffic was banked up, avoided being run over.
It's only unsafe if you don't ride to the conditions or dont look where you're going. The bridge has been the same since forever and myself and dozens of other cyclists manage to ride over it on a daily basis without incident but one cyclist crashes there and all of a sudden it's "dangerous".
Re: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge dangerous
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 2:50 pm
by petie
At least the path is there, better and probably safer than having to ride on the road...
Re: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge dangerous
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 3:19 pm
by Howzat
I have always felt exposed when riding south over that bridge, i.e. facing the oncoming traffic. Nasty gaps in the pavers too.
It's a bad design and should be fixed. Just a matter of routine road improvement.
Re: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge dangerous
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:08 pm
by twizzle
Me no understand.
If you are riding to Woden, you are on the eastern side of the bridge.
If you are heading to civic, you ride on the western side of the bridge.
If you can't ride a bike without having a head on with another cyclist, hand your bike back!
Re: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge dangerous
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:40 pm
by Ross
What might have happened is someone was riding up the ramp onto CAB from Lennox Gardens and ran into another cyclist already on the path. It's just a matter of slowing and looking, something that some commuter cyclists that use that path don't seem to understand.
I think the wonky paving is actually a good thing as the noise they make when you ride over them warns other users that there is someone coming from behind and to stay left.
Re: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge dangerous
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:57 pm
by cp123
i assumed that it must've been a silly or dangerous move by one cyclist overtaking.
I was reminded that it could've just been a bad wind gust (as does happen) that just blew one into another. Either way, I hope to god it isn't a demount zone, because everyone will just go to the eastern side. And that's where most of the pedestrians/runners/tourists taking photos are as they're photographing the buildings or running round the 5 km loop.
Or it will force cyclists coming straight down CW ave on the road to ride straight across the road lane of the bridge.
Re: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge dangerous
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:41 pm
by Ross
Reading up a bit more about this on our second favourite forum, RiotACT, it appears the cyclists were heading in opposite directions and one swerved right to go the on-road cycle lane and connected with an oncoming cyclist presumably still on the path.
http://the-riotact.com/nca-response-to- ... ored/82993" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (post #18)
Re: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge dangerous
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 6:46 pm
by nescius
Re: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge dangerous
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:29 pm
by twizzle
twizzle wrote:If you can't ride a bike without having a head on with another cyclist, hand your bike back!
Re: Commonwealth Avenue Bridge dangerous
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:56 am
by jindydiver
The real issue there...
Mr Mann said it was dark and two street lights were not working at the point the accident happened - and have still not been fixed by the authority.
When you have all the commuters (cyclists) jammed into a 2 meter wide path (with pedal snagging railing down one side) and add in all the people walking on the path because they have parked their cars on the south-side of the lake to avoid paying to park you are going to end up with the occasional conflict. Maybe if the NCA allowed pay parking in the triangle the bridge paths wouldn't be so congested and the bikes would have a bit more room.