Location of the ‘alternative path’ for the shared path

[FromTheCapital]

This is a horrible decision by TAMS (or whoever made it)

http://pedalpower.org.au/news/location- ... ing-woden/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[lobstermash]

What a shocker! There's no way I'd be able to negotiate that bit of path with my new 'bent... Not to mention that corner is completely blind and already dangerous with the little traffic it sees now, let along being the main carriage way.

[cp123]

I go home along that track usually and won't be using that new route. I go south along Adelaide Ave, turn right at Phillip College/Launceston Street and then turn left at the street that goes up behind callam offices (whatever its called). Now I will turn left at the same place, go down through the carpark outside the Smith Family building, cross over the stormwater drain there where the cat colony lives (just near the Hellenic club) and then go left on Callum street past the callum space station and the police station and keep going. It'll be a bit of a pain at the Hindmarsh/Athllon lights but then I'll cross the corner diagonally to the Kentucky Fried Chicken corner and then continue along the path along Athllon Drive.

I think that's far easier than the new never been advertised until today alternative.

[lobstermash]

Well, I was the 'first customer' as the builder put it. There's not the slightest chance of getting my recumbent around that corner and up the hill without getting off and wheeling it in the mornings, and it's not going to be easy negotiating traffic coming the other way in the afternoon.

[cp123]

you might have to just ride all the way down Athllon Drive/Callum Street and join onto the path near Phillip College.



Do you have a helmet mirror lobster? I have had a recumbent dude zoom past me a few times recently. One night he was on a road bike and we had a chat for a bit of the way home. In hindsight i'm wondering whether that was you.


I'm always riding home in the dark down that way (from the city). If you ever see someone fat and slow (lol) and with both flashing blue and red lights on a backpack that's probably me. say hi if you want! It'd be good to put another face to a name.

[lobstermash]

No helmet mirror for me... I've been riding a metallic light blue recumbent (BikeE) three days a week and riding a roadie on the other days, however I've just bought a snazzy new machine, which is a crunchie gold colour (still riding a roadie a couple of days a week though) - you probably haven't seen it yet, as I literally only got it last Thursday night. I'll look out for the red and blue lights.

Unfortunately the alternative routes are all pretty bad for me. I used to only go to Woden, and kept on the west side of Athllon. Melrose is a death trap and the cycle path along Athllon has a lot of uncontrolled intersections. Stopping and starting on the new machine is usually a successful endeavour, and tight turns are much the same, but they make me nervous still. I might have a go at the Drakeford/Parkway path to Woden tomorrow, noting that my developing recumbent legs don't like climbing that much...

[FromTheCapital]

you might have to just ride all the way down Athllon Drive/Callum Street and join onto the path near Phillip College.



Do you have a helmet mirror lobster? I have had a recumbent dude zoom past me a few times recently. One night he was on a road bike and we had a chat for a bit of the way home. In hindsight i'm wondering whether that was you.


I'm always riding home in the dark down that way (from the city). If you ever see someone fat and slow (lol) and with both flashing blue and red lights on a backpack that's probably me. say hi if you want! It'd be good to put another face to a name.

Athlon drive / callum st are pretty dangerous without a lane so is the detour. I'm sure the motorists will start seeing a lot more bike traffic on these roads though. The downhill straight into the drain is an accident waiting to happen. Wonder who will be liable for that?

Not good for pedestrians either... surely they could put a bridge over the drain so its simple to just pass the other side of the police station.

[cp123]

luckily I only go that way on the way home. On the way into town in the morning I go via the on road lane on Melrose Drive and through the Yarra Glen roundabout of death.

I guess the other alternative to go south is to turn up the hughes/curtin overpass, cross Adelaide Ave and up carruthers street into curtin and then turn left onto the bike path along the front of curtin that comes out near the swimming pool. Not ideal and there is plenty of pedestrian traffic and then jump back onto the on road lane at one of the lights.

Lobster - is your roadie blue and do you wear a white lid? I saw someone in that clobber riding up fincham street the other night... and I know you're round that way.

[lobstermash]

I was running early this morning, so attempted it on the bent, seeing there wasn't anyone else around. I made the turn... just... with the slightest bit of heel strike. I feel a sense of achievement, but still, if there was other traffic...

I wear a white helmet, but the roadie you're most likely to see me on (at the moment) is a red steelie. The only blue bike I have is the BikeE (recumbent)

[HAKS]

Rode the detour on Friday evening. Didn't think much of it. Better efforts then some temp paths around town (at least its sealed). The corner back onto the path near Hindmarsh is sharp but easily manageable on the roadie.

[lobstermash]

It seems enough people have complained about the detour to get it changed. I've seen about a dozen people lose/break their chain down near the bridge thanks to a hurried chainring gear change...

The 'new' alternate path (not quite yet open, but the concrete is laid) is a gentler initial turn and gradient. Instead, the sharp turn is saved for the connection to the footpath. I'll be interested to see if the KOM 'cheat' on the Strava segment will still work (riding across the bridge instead of up the ramp, not that I've done it...).

[Ross]

Strava segments on bike/shared paths is stupid

[lobstermash]

It's not the segments that are stupid, it's the people that chase them...

[octagonalman]

Heads up that there's a large drop in the path at the southern end after rains have washed away a dirt portion. Definitely too deep for road bikes to traverse.

[cp123]

I wrote to PP on their facebook page the other week asking when the path between the healthpoint building and hindmarsh drive (ie the original path) will be reopened as it was due to be opened at the first of September. they responded about 10 days ago saying the builders had asked for an extension to the path closure for an extra period of time and roads act had approved their request. I just ride along callum street on the foothpath though. it's sometimes a bit too close for me with the busses without a lane.

[lobstermash]

I got a couple of photos of the gap yesterday evening. I'm hard on the brakes down the hill anyway, so stopping wasn't hard when I spotted the trench. Going in this morning, nothing had been done to fix it, but a traffic cone had been put up near it. Traffic cones fix everything... The trench is well and truly a major safety issue and I hope it's addressed quick smart. People on pretty much any bike woud go OTB if they hit that at much more than walking speed.

[lukethespook]

I live just up behind the path at the older units and am pretty over this now. Fair enough they have to build there but the temporary arrangements are terrible. Obstacles such as tradies vans parked across the path, blown over temporary fencing and the rogue concrete paver missing are just some of them. It's really not that hard to get it right!

[cp123]

luke - could you go along the front footpath - ie along in front of the police station along callam street? then just chuck a left at hindmarsh and go up the hill that way?

that's that way I've started going. It's not super but its better than the alternative.

[HAKS]

I live just up behind the path at the older units and am pretty over this now. Fair enough they have to build there but the temporary arrangements are terrible. Obstacles such as tradies vans parked across the path, blown over temporary fencing and the rogue concrete paver missing are just some of them. It's really not that hard to get it right!

Send something along those lines to Pedal Power. I know they have been pushing the lack of thought that goes into temporary paths with the ACT gov for a while now. Some photos would help the cause.

[lukethespook]

luke - could you go along the front footpath - ie along in front of the police station along callam street? then just chuck a left at hindmarsh and go up the hill that way?

that's that way I've started going. It's not super but its better than the alternative.

i am up behind the cemetery so my other option is to head towards the hospital and down the bike path on Yamba Drive, otherwise I head down the temp path, onto Easty Street and then down the path behind the police station.

I guess I was just having a whinge about it all as it seems the work is never ending and there is little consideration for alternatives. Today I went towards Easty Street and had to get off my bike because a tradies van was parked across the only exit of the temp path, just frustrated thats all

[lobstermash]

Finally! It's open again!

[lobstermash]

Take extra care around the path in front of the apartments. The weekend rain has washed half the site's soil on to the path. If you follow a tyre track you don't need to get off, but don't stray because it's pretty deep.