Commute from south hurstville to toongabbie

[Kinny]

Hey guys!
I'm quite new at this and was looking for some help with my route planning.

Currently I'm planning to try a walking route mapped out by my iOS map app. Goes from:
- Connells point road right onto king georges.
- all the way north and left onto Arthur street
- left onto railway st
- railway st veers right then left turn onto church st
- right onto Olympic drive then follow onto rawson st.
- left onto parramatta road
- right onto church st or down m4??

Alright before I go on I have a question.
South of Beverly hills on king georges road becomes really really hilly and three lanes merge into two. Would it be alright under these circumstances to ride on the foot path until the road splits back into three? I think I would hold up a lot of traffic otherwise.

[zero]

We unfortunately don't make the rules, so can't give you permission I doubt you'd ever get ticketed for riding on the footpath there though.
I know the hills you are talking about, the traffic is often crawling anyway, so no big drama. I would just ride KGR myself.

There are good parallel roads (laycock and penshurst - go over penshurst station), that can keep you off KGR until beverly hills if you prefer. Under peak traffic conditions might actually be faster on a bike. Can't guarentee you the hills are any easier. If you look over google maps you can route yourself through other residential if you like to take some pressure off.

[fishwop]

Bicycles are not allowed on the M4 from James Ruse Drive to Church St (Granville viaduct) there's a small section heading west with no shoulder west of Church St, and I would not consider riding on Parramatta Rd other than at 2am. Church St from Parramatta Rd to central Parramatta is OK, I ride this regularly. There are reasonably viable back roads from Parramatta to Toongabbie (following the rail line) but getting across Cumberland Hwy is a pain.

Rawson Rd through Auburn is a shitfight too.

The M4 cycleway might be a safer route. You can get off this under the viaduct and get to Parramatta via Harris Park.

[CommuRider]

Try the Cooks River cycleway. I would avoid KGR/Arthur St - it is hilly and it goes 70-80km/h and plenty of trucks who will toot at you as you are on the main road that goes to Newcastle. I think it would be really suicidal to do this. Drive the route and you will see what I mean. Same with Olympic Drive. By going the Cooks River you avoid the main arterial roads, maybe take the detour through Rookwood cemetery then join the M4 cycleway.

[Nobody]

This may help.
http://www.ridethecity.com/

[wombatK]

+10 on avoiding King Georges Rd. Just way too many bad-tempered drivers in that part of the world, and your slow speed on those hills at South Hurstville will definitely light their fuses.

Might be better to find a way (e.g. via Hurstville Rd/Boundary Rd) to Mortdale then through to Riverwood, pick up the M5 off Belmore Rd, take it to River Rd Revesby, then start heading north: cross Milperra Rd at Mons Rd (on foot, or by taking footpath on northern side from River Rd), then left at Eldridge, Right at Olive, left at Augusta, right at William St, follow all the way to Hume Hwy at Yagoona, continue onto Auburn Rd, all the way to Regents Park, left across railway line, right at Park Rd, left at Rose Cres which turns right to become Chisolm Rd. From here you are on the Ducks River cycleway. Follow Chisolm all the way to Mona St, left onto Mona, then turn right onto the cycleway just west of the bridge over Duck River. Take cycleway to Seventh St, then right onto Factory St.

Assuming you are confident in traffic, left at William St, right onto Memorial Drive, which becomes Railway Parade, turn right at Bold St. Left at Parramatta Rd, right at Albert (using northern footpath from Bold st), left at Prince St, right at the end (Harris), down across the stormwater canal, up to M4 cycleway, and keep going north up to Harris St, left at Macquarie St. This will bring you up to Parramatta CBD and Parramatta Park. Will leave it to you to work out the rest of the way to Toongabbie from there.

Map here

edited: 14/06/11 7:35 pm, link to googlemap included.

[hannos]

I would NEVER ride on King Georges Road.


Unless I wanted to be killed.


Seriously consider finding another route.

And for the record, I used to ride thisroute from Engadine to Rhodes. It's probably not too difficult to find a way from Rhodes to Parramatta.

[CommuRider]

It's probably not too difficult to find a way from Rhodes to Parramatta.

Very easy. Cross the railway bridge and join the Parramatta river cycle path from Meadowbank to Parramatta. Well posted and SAFE.

[Xplora]

http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=13546&p=622465#p622465
This is my route from Parramatta to Seven Hills. The vast majority of it is safe, however it would be better to go through Parramatta Park and past Westmead Station going towards Toongabbie because the drivers there aren't too friendly having to wait the extra 30 seconds LOL I'm going to avoid it if possible until I get my lights and then BAM.