Sydney Harbour Bridge bicycle access saga

[familyguy]

Isn't it also to slow cyclists down? I'm not claiming there's a general trend of cyclists to speed on these paths, by the way, but this is just the way some path designers seem to think: "Let's make it as inconvenient as possible for cyclists to use the path. Then they won't use it much, and we can then justify tearing it up, or not spending as much on maintenance".

The bend or the bottom 90°? Probably a bit of both. With the expenditure on this bridge, there's no way they could justify taking it away again. It's far from a white elephant, but North Sydney has a habit of applying piecemeal infra then ranting at people not using it.

[AndrewCowley]

I am interested / suspicious as to how each of these options will interface with the roundabout. None of the pretty pictures deal with the practical aspect of how a ramp will interface with the real world.

Also the timing of this is BS. One day after the local council elections. Conveniently for Jilly Gibson, it means she never had to commit to anything during the campaign. Her previously vocal opposition to a ramp could easily be covered up during the campaign on account of needing to wait until this report was released. It should have been an awkward topic for her but she was able to dodge it all together.

[g-boaf]

Why does the ramp need a bend in the middle of it? Why do designers always seem to insist on putting superfluous bends in the middle of bicycle paths? Certainly not to improve sight lines. I see it again and again.

Anyway I'll believe it when I see it.

It looks like the ramp would have cleared the awing of the station without problem - maybe they could just add about 200 speed bumps so aggressive nobody could possibly go faster than 10km/h without being shaken to death.

[familyguy]

I am interested / suspicious as to how each of these options will interface with the roundabout. None of the pretty pictures deal with the practical aspect of how a ramp will interface with the real world.

Also the timing of this is BS. One day after the local council elections. Conveniently for Jilly Gibson, it means she never had to commit to anything during the campaign. Her previously vocal opposition to a ramp could easily be covered up during the campaign on account of needing to wait until this report was released. It should have been an awkward topic for her but she was able to dodge it all together.

They dont land at the roundabout. They all land up Alfred St either opposite Glen/Cliff St or the church. There appears to be a separate job of the crossing there, then crossing at the roundabout, that links to Middlemiss with the salmon lane. I saw it yesterday but can't find the link now...
EDIT: found it.
https://caportal.com.au/tfnsw/sydney-ha ... e-cycleway
https://caportal.com.au/tfnsw/sydney-ha ... cleway/map

Convoluted AF.

[trailgumby]

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/sta ... 58ivw.html

Dare We hope? Some progress?

My guess is it's just another delaying tactic and will result in a waste of money and more mothballed plans.

I like how the Lord Mayor of North Sydney says this is what she wanted all along - do these people have no shame?

No, not a delaying tactic. It appears this is definitely happening. Can't say more, as it is privileged.

And no, Jilly absolutely doesn't have any shame. Very manipulative and has a track record for bullying staff. She just hates cyclists. She shut down the shared use path from Blues Point Road to Mackenzie St through St Peters Park, hijacking a meeting that was supposed to be about budgeting for improvements.

More recently, she to tried to kill off the shared use path on Pacific Highway between Arthur St and Blue St, and force riders onto the Lavender St/Miller St traffic sewer until Carolyn New from Bike North got TfNSW involved and raised other procedural objections. Council now needs to follow due process and consult, and it looks like it may force some improvements.

In the meeting at which she tried this on, she was going to go after the Active Travel officer until one of the staff shut her down, telling her it was not appropriate.

Is she still mayor? I think she got rolled at the election. If so, that makes me very, very happy.

[familyguy]

Is she still mayor? I think she got rolled at the election. If so, that makes me very, very happy.

She will get onto council on votes and prefs. Remains to be seen who the elected councillors vote as mayor. Unsure how the system works as far as voting for a 5-candidate ticket v indiviudals onto council for North Sydney. Maybe someone can sift this and enlighten us?

https://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2101 ... councillor
https://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2101 ... councillor

And thanks for the work behind the scenes on this ramp!

Jim

[g-boaf]

In the meeting at which she tried this on, she was going to go after the Active Travel officer until one of the staff shut her down, telling her it was not appropriate.

These bullying people are a disgrace.

[find_bruce]

Is she still mayor? I think she got rolled at the election. If so, that makes me very, very happy.

She will get onto council on votes and prefs. Remains to be seen who the elected councillors vote as mayor. Unsure how the system works as far as voting for a 5-candidate ticket v indiviudals onto council for North Sydney. Maybe someone can sift this and enlighten us?

https://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2101 ... councillor
https://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2101 ... councillor

And thanks for the work behind the scenes on this ramp!

Jim

If you look at the quota ratio - anyone with more than 0.75 of a quota is likely to be elected by the time preferences are counted. 5 seats means a quota is 20%. Most likely outcome looks like Gibson + 1, 2 ALP, 4 other independents with 2 seats up for grabs - Gibson might pick up 1 extra supporter, seems unlikely to get 2. -

The last 2 seats are likely to resemble the Senate elections where the final candidate only gets 0.4 of a quota

Looks like a fairly divided council so election of mayor will be a lottery.

[fat and old]

I read today that your path is being built and the design is in. Your Jilly Gibson is outraged.

The community is disappointed," Councillor Gibson said.

"There's going to be mass destruction of the park.

"Milsons Point is bereft of parkland... it will be a devastating loss to this local community when all the trees are bulldozed."

How many trees are going to go? I had a google and it looks like maybe 10? at the start of the ramp.

[tpcycle]

I read today that your path is being built and the design is in. Your Jilly Gibson is outraged.

The community is disappointed," Councillor Gibson said.

"There's going to be mass destruction of the park.

"Milsons Point is bereft of parkland... it will be a devastating loss to this local community when all the trees are bulldozed."

How many trees are going to go? I had a google and it looks like maybe 10? at the start of the ramp.

How many trees and green space has/are being destroyed for the Warringah tunnel? At least she got the current bike path there destroyed. Oh that's right it's only temporary. Yeah right.

As to the Sydney Harbor Bridge path - look at today's date. Like other NSW govt cycling announcements, I'll believe it when I see it. Apart from their announcements to rip up cycle paths which I have no doubt they'll always deliver on.

[baabaa]

I read today that your path is being built and the design is in. Your Jilly Gibson is outraged.

The community is disappointed," Councillor Gibson said.

"There's going to be mass destruction of the park.

"Milsons Point is bereft of parkland... it will be a devastating loss to this local community when all the trees are bulldozed."

How many trees are going to go? I had a google and it looks like maybe 10? at the start of the ramp.

First up they are not endemic trees that are/ can be found around the harbour foreshores or even across the wilder parts of North Sydney, next North Sydney Council are shockers for pulling down any tree that as some age/ height just in case it drops a limb and causes damage to houses or power lines, thirdly Jilly Gibson is a now a nobody who when the Mayor has delayed this project for so long that "many" people have just stopped cycling due to the shocking bike infa in the council area - I put her up on par with Duncan Gay in the worst anti biking offenders in NSW for the past 30 years ( if not longer)

[Bunged Knee]

Work to start on $39m Harbour Bridge ramp, but cyclists face long wait

Report from SMH, https://amp.smh.com.au/national/nsw/wor ... 5fa2u.html

Might be ready after 2026/27 with usual delays in opening or bickering.

[fat and old]

Work to start on $39m Harbour Bridge ramp, but cyclists face long wait

Report from SMH, https://amp.smh.com.au/national/nsw/wor ... 5fa2u.html

Might be ready after 2026/27 with usual delays in opening or bickering.

39 million?????

Jee I’m getting old. I can remember freeways costing less.

[g-boaf]

Work to start on $39m Harbour Bridge ramp, but cyclists face long wait

Report from SMH, https://amp.smh.com.au/national/nsw/wor ... 5fa2u.html

Might be ready after 2026/27 with usual delays in opening or bickering.

39 million?????

Jee I’m getting old. I can remember freeways costing less.

Freeways

Sydney M8 project cost $4.3 billion, so the cycleway ramp seems good value in comparison.

[AndrewCowley]

This piece of abject stupidity cost the same back in 2014.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-17/ ... ed/6783460

[Thoglette]

Sydney M8 project cost $4.3 billion, so the cycleway ramp seems good value in comparison.

And, if recall the RAC WA report (c. 2015) correctly, bicycle infrastructure has a payback ratio in the middle single digits. Whereas freeways generally need “massaging” just to break even.

That’s probably worse now, once the impact of particulates and NOx is factored in. Nevermind obesity related illness and death ( the Dutch claim some impressive numbers that they attribute to their cycling infrastructure and culture)

[fat and old]

Report from SMH, https://amp.smh.com.au/national/nsw/wor ... 5fa2u.html

Might be ready after 2026/27 with usual delays in opening or bickering.

39 million?????

Jee I’m getting old. I can remember freeways costing less.

Freeways

Sydney M8 project cost $4.3 billion, so the cycleway ramp seems good value in comparison.

Our new North East link here in Melb is going at $26 billion ....atm. I've made damn sure to rort as much as I can during the pre-works!

[antigee]

wasn't it only a couple of weeks ago that talk show radio and some press articles recycled opponents press release claims that it would be $100m cost to benefit 650 cyclists...

https://northsydneysun.com.au/community ... bike-ramp/

[familyguy]

I want to email him, but won't. It will only make him more angry as he'll think he's relevant and has an opinion that counts.

Get to building, I want to ride it and deliver the customary salute to the locals.

[g-boaf]

Tony Abbott supposedly rolled out to stop the construction of the harbour bridge cycleway construction:

https://www.smh.com.au/cbd/tony-abbott- ... 5jsac.html

I don't care if the bridge cycleway project goes ahead or not because it doesn't impact me. So if they manage to get it stopped good on them.

[find_bruce]

Tony Abbott rolled out to stop the construction of the harbour bridge cycleway construction:

https://www.smh.com.au/cbd/tony-abbott- ... 5jsac.html

I did like the closing line of that snippet "we can’t imagine anyone better placed to sway a state Labor government than a conservative former prime minister."

[warthog1]

I want to email him, but won't. It will only make him more angry as he'll think he's relevant and has an opinion that counts.

Get to building, I want to ride it and deliver the customary salute to the locals.

[duncanm]

Nice to see the usual Abbott pile on without any details and an alarmist headline, but as far as I can tell, the whingers in North Sydney have approached him and "We hear Abbott has been making a few calls asking for more detail about the project"

A whole big nothingburger. But you do you and go on hating.

[g-boaf]

Tony Abbott rolled out to stop the construction of the harbour bridge cycleway construction:

https://www.smh.com.au/cbd/tony-abbott- ... 5jsac.html

I did like the closing line of that snippet "we can’t imagine anyone better placed to sway a state Labor government than a conservative former prime minister."

If it doesn't go ahead it won't impact me so I'm not really bothered what happens and if it does somehow get stopped. I know that doesn't sound nice but that's how things work these days.

The folks that do ride through that area will have to toss up between the cycleway project or political preferences.

[CmdrBiggles]

Hmmm. Abbott is a road cyclist (?)
I swear I've seen him in a road group.
Strange he would rise up against what, at face value, looks like a good idea. Perhaps we could have something similar on Melbourne's West Gate Bridge? Ha! Fat chance there! "Been there, done that"...

Nowadays, the "conservative former prime minister" (are you sure about "conservative"!?) isn't even in the sort of form of mind or body to promote budgie smugglers, and I suspect, much less in-form to talk about the effects of bike lanes and bridges.