Highway access in Perth

[Wixxy]

I've been down Canning Vale for an interview today on the bus. On the way I passed a slip road on to Roe with no bikes allowed, am also aware of Reid having exclusions.

My question is, are all highway's as fragmented for bike access? Is there anyway online to inform you to take exclusions in to account when planning a route for say a new job, etc?

[Thoglette]

Offically, only freeways have restrictions on bicycle use, with the quid-pro-quo that the PSPs (principle shared paths) are provided at the same time.

The $2.2B spent on Roe was meant to result in freeway standard. The PSP bit is slowly coming along. Users of other vehicles not allowed on freeways (e.g. scooters) are sod out of luck.

Under the previous government the MRD has unilaterally "upgraded" parts of Reid Hwy, despite not having the PSPs on the Mitchell.

I'm not aware of any online info beyond transport's cycle maps, which I highly recommend.

[Wixxy]

Thanks for the reply. I've downloaded the maps but they lack updates in some areas. But I agree they are good otherwise.

[Thoglette]

I find that a key to successful route planning is to stop thinking like a motorist and view the world from a cycling perspective. Often you can find quiet routes next to or between major traffic routes that cars can't use due to culs-de-sac or turning limitations. Sometimes one needs google street view as well as the DoT maps!

[Wixxy]

I had a go on Roe Hwy today - West Swan to Gr Eastern and on the way back Kalamunda Rd to Military Rd, then back on at Morrison Rd to West Swan. I did it to miss out all the crossings via the psp - although I used the crossing at the Gr Northern intersection via the left turn lane as it felt safer with no bike lane at the lights.

(Back roads from Gr Eastern to Kalamunda Rd - no path I could find).


Can anyone help a bemused cyclist-

What's the minimum width that constitutes a sealed shoulder?

Are you legally allowed in a highway lane where the speed limit is at 100 kpm and NO bike lane signs are up, therefore your not held in the shoulder?

[Scott_C]

What's the minimum width that constitutes a sealed shoulder?

Are you legally allowed in a highway lane where the speed limit is at 100 kpm and NO bike lane signs are up, therefore your not held in the shoulder?

The AustRoads Guidelines recommend that in Urban areas sealed shoulders should be at least 1.2m wide for 60kph traffic, 1.8m wide for 80kph and 2m wide for 100kph traffic. As far as the DoT cycling maps are concerned they show sections of road with 0 shoulder as having shoulders/cycle lanes so they have been negligent in preparing the maps and I wouldn't trust the maps for preparing a route without also double checking actual road conditions using Google Maps.

Legally you are allowed to ride in a general traffic lane on any road that doesn't have a bicycle lane suitable for use and doesn't have a No Bicycles sign applying to it. At speed limits of 90kph+ you must stay in the left lane unless overtaking or turning right (applies to all vehicles). At speed limits of 80kph or less you can legally ride in any lane.

Safety is obviously a separate topic than legality and in many circumstances it is manifestly unsafe to share a general traffic lane at high speeds particularly where heavy vehicles are involved.

[Wixxy]

From your last remarks, I started from Kalamunda Rd with a bike lane sign so felt okay I'll go. The shoulder was no way 1 metre never mind 2! At Military road was a bike exit sign so they must think it's a suitable route? Just note towards the exit it does go up to 2 metres.

Unless the idea is traffic pulls in to the second lane to pass a cyclist, some how I don't see that happening.

Was this section at a lower speed not so long ago, hence the bike signage?

[Thoglette]

The maps do have some screaming clangers - like Russell road in the South.

[Wixxy]

I came across talk on this on the Tonkin / Roe thread, which said Berkshire Rd to Military Rd were bike "friendly" with concerns the shoulder markings disappear in spots.

Am going to take a guess that GE Bypass is the first entry going the other way back to Berkshire.

Bizarrely there is a ped crossing at the Bypass lights - must be for future infrastructure. But I made use of it to get to the other side.

The other omission is I rode off the tarmac on to the hard standing on occasions to give it a bit more distance from the trucks.

[Scott_C]

There was a tragic example of what can happen when road shoulders vary yesterday with the death of a 69 year old cyclist on Marmion Road in Burns Beach. (My sincerest condolences to anyone who knew the man, if using his death to comment on infrastructure safety offends you please reply and I'll delete this post.)

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western ... 17b20b31bc

It appears that the cyclist has had to move out of the shoulder into the lane as the shoulder was obstructed by road construction works and a car has collided with him during this short section of road where there was no available shoulder. Whilst I don't want to excuse road users from their duty to look out for other vehicles it clearly shows how a disappearing shoulder can change what is usually a comparatively safe section of road into a literal death trap.

[Wixxy]

It's a sorry state that a cycle has to be away from the rest to be safe.