Logan Hyperdome to SE Freeway bike route

[laviedeboheme]

Hi there,
Does anyone have any suggestions for a bike-friendly route from Shailer Park (Logan Hyperdome vicinity) to the Eight Mile Plains area? (I know it's possible to then link up with the 'route' into the Brisbane CBD that follows the SE Freeway - my ultimate goal).
I'm new to this area and although I haven't tried anything yet, I've looked at the street directory and it doesn't look 'obvious' or even promising...
Thanks in advance for suggestions.
Greg

[K2]

Unfortunately it isn't particularly bike friendly out here in the wilds. I'm not sure which way the Brisbane to Gold Coast folk travel but for the most direct [and flatest] route you're looking at the service roads either side of the M1 to get you onto Logan Rd at Springwood. [It looks like the bikepath extension from Miles Platting Rd to where the Gateway meets Logan Rd isn't far off completion so no more climb from The Glen. ]

The western side is pretty straight forward, however the current roadworks around the Loganlea Rd overpass make things a little hairy, and the roundabout at Paradise Rd is always hectic, but once past it the shoulder is wide. The worst after that will be the traffic veering madly to change lanes between Kingston & Beenleigh Rds, but you're stuck with that either way.

On the eastern side you could avoid the worst of the traffic by heading up Daisy Hill Rd then follow Springwood Rd until it connects with Logan Rd, but that's a route best left to mountain goats.

So basically you're looking at Shailer Rd, Daisy Hill Rd, Chatswood Rd, then service road till Fitzgerald Av at Springwood and left under the M1 and onto Logan Rd.

However you can:-
1. Cut the hill from the Hyperdome to Shailer Rd out by following the little service road past Nutrimetics and as it turns away from the M1 look to your left for the path behind the houses.
2. Cut another hill and 2 traffic lights out by turning left off Daisy Hill Rd into Parkway Rd then following the windy path at the end up onto Chatswood Rd.
3. Cut out the busy roundabout at the start of Daisy Hill Rd by using Lilac, Magnolia, Oleander and Allamanda [look at a map].

The rat running is marginally shorter, safer and less hilly, but if you're on a road bike then 2 is probably the only short cut worth considering.

[laviedeboheme]

K2,
Wow - thanks for the detailed reply. A lot of my suspicions have been confirmed... Although I haven't even been on my bike since I moved to Cornubia 2 months ago, I catch the 'express' bus from the Hyperdome to the Brisbane CBD. Sometimes the bus drivers actually use the eastern side route you suggested (to avoid traffic on the M1)! Since I'll be approaching from the eastern end of Plantain Rd, I'll most likely do what you suggested on that side, except perhaps to get to Daisy Hill Rd from Lyndale St.
One further question: Is it actually necessary to travel very far on Logan Rd ? From the street directory, it looks like there is some kind of 'pathway' (on the western side, next to the M1) that you can get to from near the Springwood Aquatic Centre?
Thanks again,
Greg

[The Womble]

Ug.

[marinmomma]

I ride between 8 Mile Plains and Shailer Park regularly....

From Cornubia I ride up Bryants Rd, turn Right into Belbora Rd (the intersection out the front of the Spar) then 2nd Left in to Feluga St, up to the roundabout then turn Right into Mandew, around past the back of the Hyperdome, through the roundabout and turn Right at the Nutrimetics building, follow Mungaree Drive all the way to the intersection at Shailer Rd (avoid the bike path at all coasts...too much rubbish and glass and a there's a manic magpie during July and August...actually avoid all the bike paths in Logan!)

Turn Left into Shailer Rd, follow it all the way through the roundabout where the road changes into Winnetts Rd, which is a bit narrow with the roadworks going on with the new interchange, go straight through and down to the other side and turn Right into Village Dr then Left into Brentwood Drive, Left into Chatswood Rd, straight through the 3 roundabouts which takes you on to Rochedale Rd/Service Rd.

Follow that all the way to the Springwood Bus station and turn Left on to Logan Rd (go under the Freeway) and follow Logan Rd up all the way to where the V1 meets just before the Logan Rd on-ramp at 8 Mile Plains.

When the extenstion is finally open you could use that to avoid the Padstow/Logan Rd intersection, the hill up from the Glen isn't too bad!

Sorry but I don't have Garmin map to share of that route...only one where I crossed the highway at the Loganlea overpass, where all the roads works are happening, and rode up the western side (it was a Public Holiday and early!) until the roadworks for the service road between Loganlea/Paradise Rd section are complete I'd avoid due to the narrowness of the road and volume of traffic!

You can go up Daisy Hill Road to get to Chatswood Road...depends on the time of day though...if you're riding through there between 7.30 to 8.30am you'll be battling the school mums driving their darlings to JPC

Hope that helps, Logan Rd for the most part has a good wide shoulder, there's some glass and rubbish in places, and a few idiot drivers, but I'm female rider and I've ridden it alone a couple of times, early am, and many times with another rider at busier times.

There are some good rides south through to the coast and east out to Redland Bay...and West Mt Cotton Rd if you're up for a hill climb!

[marinmomma]

Also, the bikeway is good until you get to the bottom of Gaza Rd at Holland Park...then it turns into a dog's breakfast of uneven concrete shared paths until you get to O"Keefe at Buranda.

I can give you a Garmin map of the back streets that I use through Tarragindi/Annerley to avoid the bike path....or just go straight up Logan Rd to the Gabba!

[ozjolly]

Also, the bikeway is good until you get to the bottom of Gaza Rd at Holland Park...then it turns into a dog's breakfast of uneven concrete shared paths until you get to O"Keefe at Buranda.

I can give you a Garmin map of the back streets that I use through Tarragindi/Annerley to avoid the bike path....or just go straight up Logan Rd to the Gabba!

Lisa, I'd love to see your map of those back streets. Could come in handy because some of that path is awful. It's still better than Logan Road though, which is a death trap. I've added 10km to my commute to avoid Logan Road... but that's not a bad thing.

Joel

[Mulger bill]

G'Day Greg.

This is one for the QLD sub forum, I'll send it over for you.

Cheers
Shaun

[marinmomma]

Here's is one, sometimes a bit dicey riding along Birdwood Tce and getting into the right hand lane while avoiding the cars that are in a mad dash to get onto the Freeway, or you could always ride up Weller Rd and turn right into Toohey Rd.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/81857285

[K2]

Greg, It's pretty hilly around that Plantain Rd loop and cutting across to Lyndale. If you don't mind that then maybe my mountain goat suggestion up Daisy Hill Rd and onto Springwood Rd ain't that far fetched. It is far more scenic and will avoid some of the worst of the traffic through Slacks Creek & Springwood, but the big hill just about kills me. Whose idea was it to make it steeper the closer you get to the top?

I'd be inclined to use Lisa's route past the Hyperdome despite it being busier, though I still prefer my Parkway Rd suggestion as it avoids the mess around the Loganlea Rd overpass and 2 sets of lights on the Daisy Hill/Chatswood Rds way.

On your question: Is the aquatic centre still on Sports Dr? I'm not familiar with any pathway that'd cut out Logan Rd [and can't see anything on googlemaps], though you could wend your way through that maze of streets and come out up at Underwood somewhere. I can't envision a pathway between the Sports Dr onramp and the current start of the bikeway due to the deep cutting at the Underwood Rd overpass. Anyway, Logan Rd ain't that bad, especially not after you've braved the service road traffic through Springwood! If you really want to avoid it you could opt for Rochedale then Miles Platting Rds but that passes several schools and won't be short of traffic either.

Also agree with the others about the bikeway being woeful between Gaza Rd and Buranda. Only went along once to see where it went and couldn't imagine many folk wanting to tackle that part without suspension. It's been a very long time since I did the regular commute from Shailer Park to the city along Logan Rd, but I'd probably still opt for that rather than that section of bikeway if I had to do it often.

[laviedeboheme]

All,
Thanks for your valuable suggestions.
I last rode the SE Freeway bikeway around Tarragindi / Greenslopes in 1996/97, was hoping it might have improved since then...
Doesn't sound like it has from your responses...oh well, I'd better just get out and try a few things!
Cheers, Greg

[myforwik]

I swear they have gone out of their way to screw up everything around underwood/slackscreek/springwood.

I just heard that the logan central bikeway, which was meant to go from compton road to the busway at springwood, had its funnding cut at the last $30,000. That $30,000 was for a bridge across slacks creek - which was the only place on the whole route that there is no shoulder to cycle on. So they have spend $900,000 just converting a shoulder to a bike lane, then at the ones place where more room was actually needed, they have scrapped the funding. So the bike way goes all the way down compton road then just stops in the middle of no where at algas street with no shoulder and forcing you to take primary on a 70km/hr uphill section.

I have found that the council maps are pathetic. There is no way to know a good route until you try it. My route from creatmead to springwood had about 3 different ways, the logan central bikeway, the bikeway along scrubby creek and slacks creek, and the 'designated' cycle way - which is apparently kingston road. Kingston road was practically suicide. the slacks creek cycle way was obviously a foot path and my average speed was under 10km/hr because of how sharp and narrow it is. the logan city bikeway was the longest route but the safest and fastest because of almost no red lights.

[ozjolly]

They're currently relaying the bike path from about the Greenslopes Busway Station to Juliet Street. This is very welcome as this was the worst part. This should make the bike path a better option. Should be finished in a week or so I reckon. Current detour is along the grass on the soccer fields.

The dodgy bit between the freeway on ramp at Marshall Road and the bowls club still exists.