Tarragindi Bikeway Stage 2, approved

[beauyboy]

This has been posted on the Mayors website which is the only place to get Council Media Releases. I would love to know why it is not done throught the councils own website like State Gov but anywho.

www.campbellnewman.com.au

Council fast-tracks Tarragindi bikeway
Written on the 05 June, 2009

Construction on a new south-side bikeway has been fast-tracked, with work on Stage 2 of the Tarragindi shared pathway set to begin next Tuesday, Public and Active Transport Chairman Jane Prentice said today.

The project is part of Lord Mayor Campbell Newman’s four year, $100 million commitment for new bikeway infrastructure that will benefit the community by providing an important link in Brisbane’s bicycle and pedestrian network.

“Stage 2 of this project will connect Tarragindi to Griffith University, the South East Freeway bikeway, surrounding suburbs and local parks, schools and shops,” Cr Prentice said.

“This will make it easier for residents to get out and about and enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle.”

Cr Prentice said Stage 1 of the pathway was completed in May 2009 and stage 2 will complete the pathway’s missing link, connecting Cracknell Rd with Toohey Rd through on-road bicycle facilities and off-road shared pathways.

The main section of shared pathway will start at Lawrie St and continue through the Tarragindi Recreation Reserve to Laura St.

Cr Prentice said the shared pathway was being constructed with minimal environmental impact.

“We’ve been quite innovative with the design, which includes solar powered LED cats-eye lighting along the shared pathway through Tarragindi Recreational Reserve, with minimal overhead lighting,” she said.

Stage 2 of the shared pathway will be 592 long and 3 metres wide, Cr Prentice said.

“Weather permitting, cyclists should have their rubber on the pathways by October,” she said.

Work will be carefully managed to minimise disruption to the local road network and surrounding residents and businesses.

Cr Prentice said Council would keep the community well informed about the project and would continue to provide updates as the project progresses.

[Ends] June 5, 2009

[DionM]

How does it get from Laura St to Toohey Rd? Onroad I guess?

[beauyboy]

To tell the truth it is all very confusing.
I have had a quick look through the BCC Budget Documents and it is still very confusing.

We really need someone to go out and have a look to tell us what is happening.

Donald

[Jonez3]

Hello, I am new to the forum and would like to participate in this topic:
I had ridden from Salisbury to the city in the past and was quite exited about this new bikeway. I used to take Tarragindi road, Fernvale rd, Toohey rd until I met the freeway bikeway. I was hoping the new bikeway would offer a better alternative for me.

In the council plans it was planed to start at Evan rd, but the latest info I can find has the stage 1 (which I believe is now completed) starting at Canfield St. Now, this is not attractive for me given that I would have to cross Toohey rd to take the bikeway and then cross the same rd again once on the bikeway. Are they building a tunnel where the bikeway crosses Toohey rd?

What happened with the Evans Rd works? Were they cancelled? Are they completed? where in Evans Rd is it supposed to be?

[Jonez3]

Since I did not get answers to my questions above, I decided to take my bike on the weekend and try the new Tarragindi Bikeway stage 1. Here is what I think.

1. I could not find an entry from Evans Rd as claimed by preliminary political propaganda
2. The entry at Canfield St is difficult to access from the west side of Toohey rd
3. They built the bike path parallel to the road (Toohey) but runs through the forest. The result is more trees cut. They could have just added the bike path on the side of the road as they did in the last 100 meter or so. I guess they wanted it to be attractive for pedestrians too.
4. The bike path is level with the road at the crossing, but run lower that the road towards Canfield St. This makes it the bike path to have a greater gradient than the actual road.( which was already a bit of work for the inexperience rider) I had to dismount given that my pedal damaged in the attempt. I think some people will dismount to climb this. (Casual riders like me)
5- The bottom bit of the bike path (under the trees) gets very slippery when it rains. A natural creek or something runs over it. There will be wet leaves and soil on it even days after a rain. So when you are going south you will be descending into a slippery section. I predict accidents will occur here. Let's hope not.
6. The crossing at Toohey road is not as bad as I thought it would be.


Note: tried finding stage 2 but ended up somewhere else in a no through road. I assume this is not completed yet.

[tomns]

Not sure which stage it is but there is a section completed between Lawrie St and Laura St, which means you don't have to
ride up/down Fernvale Rd which is nice. Has made my commute a bit safer.

Now open both ends with signs and bikes painted on the road

Tom

[beauyboy]

Thank you for the update.
Good to know things are still being done.

Donald

[DionM]

Finally rode this from SE Freeway bikeway to Salisbury on the weekend (I usually go SE Freeway bikeway then thru Toohey Forest).

SE Freeway to Tarragindi - same as always, through the park.

Crossing Cracknell Rd one always needs to be careful. The bike path up the hill once you exit Laura St was covered in a lot of debris (leaves/twigs). Not something for the road bike riders I would think. From there, crossing Fernvale Rd is easy (thought they could have made the bike path crossing easier, by extending the path a little so it was opposite the T-junction with Lana St, or at least not making it a 90deg join with Fernvale rd, so one can ride off the road onto the bike path at faster than crawling). Then it's all backroads through Tarragindi - and well signed too with signs on posts and yellow bikes painted on the road also being a good reminder for motorists to share the road - then a short 200m hop thru Toohey Forest to Toohey Rd. Nice and quiet and safe. Crossing Toohey Rd is fairly easy with the new "safety cage" in the middle of the road, and then the run down the hill to Salisbury as others have posted.

Getting to Evans Rd is always a challenge on a bike, I usually pedal like the wind and move across early, but its always unnerving sitting in an outer traffic lane (as you need to get across the 2 lanes going straight ahead, to get to the 2 lanes turning, and for a while you're in the middle of 4 lanes of road). Maybe there is a track in Toohey Forest that pops out somewhere in the back of the industrial area near Evans Rd? I will have to check it out.

[Jonez3]

Thanks DionM

You know, this bikepath was meant to start at Evans rd but It looks like they cut costs.. It ends on the side of toohey which becomes then orange grove. If one needs to go to Evans rd, needs to cross the road somehow.
I want to point out that the steep bit through the forest can be very slipery under or after rain.