Parramatta river cycle way

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Xplora
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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby Xplora » Sun Apr 13, 2014 1:13 am

I do wonder "to what end?"... I feel they would be better served enhancing onroad facilities around that area, because you can't leave Parramatta without taking on roads. It's a little like the Clover lanes... you can have green corridors inside the CBD but you have to get there first. Parra Council is trying, for sure, but drilling holes in an old bridge? They'd do better to take over a lane or two to convert to bike lanes on some of the main streets such as Philip St.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby TTar » Sun Apr 13, 2014 6:45 am

Xplora wrote: but drilling holes in an old bridge? They'd do better to take over a lane or two to convert to bike lanes on some of the main streets such as Philip St.

I used to feel the same, but as pretty and historically sacred as the bridge may be, it's still just a piece of infrastructure. And one that is heartbreaking for cyclists. Having the freewheeling run along the river in either direction interrupted by that bridge feels insulting. Cities and infrastructure should accommodate people, not the other way around. With the underpasses, there will be an almost unbroken path from Parra park to SOP along the river.

And with work (very slowly) extending the paths either end of those two locales, it may one day be possible to ride from Penrith to Syd CBD entirely off-road courtesy of the Lennox Bridge tunnels. A couple of holes in a bridge isn't sacrilege in that context, I reckon.
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Xplora
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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby Xplora » Sun Apr 13, 2014 8:27 am

I get your point TTar, I guess mine is that this isn't the final piece in the puzzle and we have to see roads being sacrificed to green clover lanes and bus lanes of we want to see cycle infrastructure improvements. Cheaper than holes, better visibility outcomes for riders, and one that allows speed. The ride next to the river is so littered with peds and ducks and dogs that I just ride Victoria Road all the way past the All Saints church and Bike Barn's old spot to the parra stadium car park. It's faster and safer. Does the hole create the best outcome for the money? mThat's my question.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby sankari » Sun Apr 13, 2014 9:22 am

In terms of usefulness as a cycleway, I'm sure many commuters would still prefer other routes. But in broader terms, I do think this will improve amenity for the community. The banks of the river between Lennox Bridge and the ferry wharf are very popular with walkers and families with young children and prams. The stairs were quite inconvenient. Numbers will only increase with the old David Jones site being converted to apartments, which you can actually see on the photo. This will allow people to continue their walk all the way to Parramatta park. Lennox Bridge did have the effect of dividing the two halves of the river in the council.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby Hergest » Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:05 pm

Parramatta has been a dump for so much of its 220 odd year existence, the lack of amenity regarding the river has never helped this. Even now if you want to walk from Church Street to Parramatta Park following the river after having a lovely midday meal, in summertime you have to walk around the back of the old hospital through a sun trap that sends the temperature up to something hotter than the centre of the sun while the cool river basks below you with no path, just a mass of weeds and crap. Then stand at the lights opposite the gatehouse waiting a week for the lights to change to something in your favour. Hopefully building the tunnel through the bridge will be the start of finishing a route that is a genuine riverside path. For cyclists such as us that frequent the forum i don't think it will be of much use as pedestrian traffic will be high (as it should) but as something to bring Parramatta into the modern age it is to be welcomed with open arms.
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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby sankari » Mon Apr 14, 2014 11:17 pm

Parramatta has certainly undervalued the river as a natural asset, which has led to many years of neglect. This does seem to be changing though. Council has done up the riverbank a bit on the eastern side of Lennox Bridge in the last few years. Now that the bridge will have a tunnel, hopefully council will also be motivated to improve the riverbanks on the western side of Lennox Bridge as well, to address some of the problems that Hergest pointed out. I hear developers have already contributed some money, for the development of the carpark opposite Riverside Theatre.

I should add though, if you want a more pleasant walk from Church St to Parramatta Park, currently the best way is to use the shared path on the northern bank, alongside Riverside Theatre. This has underpasses beneath each of the bridges, which will now include Lennox Bridge.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby tez001 » Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:53 am

Saw a sign saying the cycleway will be closed on 29th April for urgent works between Waratah st and Atkins Rd (the boardwalk)

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby tez001 » Sat Aug 16, 2014 1:17 pm

Went through this morning and the path was closed off from the end of UWS to Silverwater rd. Looks as though they were doing some path repairs along that section.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby Anthony1234 » Sat Aug 16, 2014 5:00 pm

They are building a new section from UWS to Parramatta which is fenced off, but UWS to Silverwater is fine ...as of 2pm yesterday at least.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby Xplora » Sat Aug 16, 2014 6:30 pm

Details?

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby bigfriendlyvegan » Sat Aug 16, 2014 7:34 pm

Xplora wrote:Details?
Finally implementing their plans for a path from Meadowbank to Parra? If so, about time. Then they'll need to get to work doing the other side of the river for what will be an awesome commute route.

Interestingly, the mythical bridge from the Rhodes foreshore to near the ferry station looks like it might get underway. They've spray painted markings and the word bridge on the foreshore.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby Hergest » Sat Aug 16, 2014 8:16 pm

The work has started on the tunnels that are being drilled through the bridge at Church Street too so it's all happening.
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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby tez001 » Sat Aug 16, 2014 8:59 pm

That would be good, straight run into Parramatta Park. although maybe Im missing something but from UWS, its being extended to Morton st, which then connects to the existing section from Morton st to Macarthur st. From there you still need to go onto Macarthur st then onto the south side of the river before crossing over near the wharf?

Ps - thanks to green rocket + buddy for warning me of the closure

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby QuangVuong » Sat Aug 16, 2014 9:04 pm

Oh, so that's why the roads(Church St from Phllip St onwards) were blocked off last week.

But what's the route for the new path? Does it connect to the rest of the Parra River cycleway along the river, removing the need to ride on the road before and after UWS?
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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby bigfriendlyvegan » Sat Aug 16, 2014 9:08 pm

QuangVuong wrote:Oh, so that's why the roads(Church St from Phllip St onwards) were blocked off last week.

But what's the route for the new path? Does it connect to the rest of the Parra River cycleway along the river, removing the need to ride on the road before and after UWS?
That's the plan.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby biker jk » Sat Aug 16, 2014 9:13 pm

Does anyone know if the route is available online anywhere?

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Xplora
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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby Xplora » Sat Aug 16, 2014 9:34 pm

I think a route avoiding South St and Thomas St through to Parra Park would increase traffic ENORMOUSLY. That gap is psychologically huge - I just went down Victoria Road to Elizabeth (the oars bridge) because I'm a bit of a nutcase, but for normal people negotiating that strip is quite intimidating. I've had more incidents on Thomas than anywhere else.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby tez001 » Sat Aug 16, 2014 11:13 pm

The link from the dead end to South st will still be a fair while off I think. The extension they are currently doing in my opinion is not that useful, you need to go on a detour to the south side of the river (Phillip st) and then cross back over at the ferry terminal and the continue on once the link under the Church st bridge is done.

Its still a more direct route to go along Thomas st
biker jk wrote:Does anyone know if the route is available online anywhere?
I find cycleway finder is good, although here is some old Parramatta bike plans which show you
http://www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/__data/ ... kePlan.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby Anthony1234 » Sun Aug 17, 2014 7:53 am

tez001 wrote:That would be good, straight run into Parramatta Park. although maybe Im missing something but from UWS, its being extended to Morton st, which then connects to the existing section from Morton st to Macarthur st. From there you still need to go onto Macarthur st then onto the south side of the river before crossing over near the wharf?

Ps - thanks to green rocket + buddy for warning me of the closure
Yep that is the one, UWS to link to the existing Morton path. This then allows you to skip going up to Thomas Street. I thought it would have been opened by now as it has looked close to finished for weeks now. Hopefully in the next week or two.

The major part they still need to fix on this route is to somehow bypass having to use South Street at Rydalmere. Not sure if this is on the cards but it is the last of the semi-busy roads that you are forced to ride on as it is an industrial area.

Overall though this cycleway is fantastic and really shows other councils what can be done.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby Xplora » Sun Aug 17, 2014 11:31 pm

They HAVE put the path behind Rheem and just about up to the carpark, they need land to put the path to the bridge into UWS and fully bypass the industrial area. It's a bit hairy through there, I never felt happy going through there. Just too much traffic and parking.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby Xplora » Sun Aug 17, 2014 11:50 pm

They HAVE put the path behind Rheem and just about up to the carpark (basically going straight south at Brodie), they need land to put the path to the bridge into UWS and fully bypass the industrial area. It's a bit hairy through there, I never felt happy going through there. Just too much traffic and parking.

Had a read of those maps, I've ridden quite a few of them and if it doesn't say Offroad path, then don't bother. There is nothing that inspires confidence with any of those onroad paths. Some make things worse, putting lines and crap all over the road without providing a rider a space away from doors and cars. Waste of money.

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby trevg » Mon Aug 25, 2014 6:12 pm

biker jk wrote:Does anyone know if the route is available online anywhere?
I found using the Strava heatmap was useful in determining which routes people take, for the area in question the link is:

http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#15/-208 ... /blue/bike" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby tez001 » Sat Sep 27, 2014 10:42 am

Is the new section after UWS open? I rode past this morning, however didnt go down as it looked as though someone had just removed the fencing to get through

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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby recumbenteer » Sat Sep 27, 2014 11:56 am

tez001 wrote:Is the new section after UWS open? I rode past this morning, however didnt go down as it looked as though someone had just removed the fencing to get through
Hey tez,
I took a ride thru there this morning.... the path is open at either end, by whom, I've no idea and whether it is "oficially" open, I've no idea also.

The path takes you from the underpass at James Ruse drv. at the back of the Uni, thru to Macarthur St.
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Re: Parramatta river cycle way

Postby caneye » Mon Oct 27, 2014 10:10 am

Rode it yesterday.
Gates definitely opened. Very impressive.
From Rhodes to Parra, you only use public roads for 3 short sections (Lancaster Ave@Meadowbank, Rheem factory, Macarthur St@Parra)

Nice easy ride. A lot less crowded than SOP.

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