New no bike sign on Sandgate Road

[themerlin]

Has anyone else seen the no bike sign on the Sandgate road overpass( going towards city and the roundabout)?
Must admit going over that overpass can be a bit hairy in Morning traffic but whats the point in having a cycle lane split by a no cycling zone ?

[heay]

Stupid if you ask me. Just claim the lane next time you go over it. Also under the traffic act they can not block access to any type of road (private/public) so how are they going to explian that?

[beauyboy]

Photo we need a photo.
I would suggest passing the photo on to both the CBD BUG and BQ.

Donald

[high_tea]

Stupid if you ask me. Just claim the lane next time you go over it. Also under the traffic act they can not block access to any type of road (private/public) so how are they going to explian that?

Riding on that section of road is unlawful: s252(1) of the Qld Road Rules says so. Your claim about the Traffic Act seems dubious; for one thing there is no Traffic Act currently in force in Queensland.

[Comedian]

Hmmm... if it's where I think it is I'll be ignoring it. I'm not going to ride through that tunnel. It was a great safe way to get to Shaw road off Sandgate road.

[themerlin]

no it's the section near Virginia station an only in one direction. you can go around but it takes longer.

[lethoso]

Must admit going over that overpass can be a bit hairy in Morning traffic but whats the point in having a cycle lane split by a no cycling zone ?

meh, the only thing the council seems to give a toss about are the number of kms of cycle lanes, not whether they link up, or are useful.

the no bikes section in the tunnel further down the road is even more silly IMO - there's a great big shoulder the whole way through, it's fine to ride.

[themerlin]

Google maps link to the section http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=sandga ... 6,,0,-5.62

[Comedian]

Google maps link to the section http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=sandga ... 6,,0,-5.62

My apologies... I see what the fuss is about. Bike lane most of the way inbound and then boom.... no legal way through. Bike lane immediately afterwards. I might check wiggle to see if they have that transporter on sale.

That's the main thoroughfare from the northern bay areas. There is no obvious way around the shutdown.

Yep... for sure it can be hairy there for bikes but the answer is to fix the problem not just ban it and hope the problem just goes away. Crazy.

[sumgy]

As crazy as this sounds there is actually a continuation of that bike lane that takes you around to Toombul Road.
The crazy thing is that you can see it marked in white on Googlemaps but it is unpaved (or was the last time Streetview went through there).
If i am coming through from that way in peak hour I feel that going through Northgate and then up Northlink Place and back to Sandgate Road is far safer than trying to cut across 2 lanes of heavy traffic at that overpass.

[beanspropulsion]

I can understand the logic behind it though, you have traffic probably still travelling at 80kmh slowing to 60 and bikes trying to get over to continue up the hill and down to Nundah.

It is a crazy intersection.

However it's just as dangerous to try and continue on to Toombul Rd and then right turn before the lights just past Wellington St, which I guess is what the traffic planners (if they can be called that) want.

The no cycling through the tunnel at Nundah shits me no end. Going through Nundah is a major time waste because the damn light outside the Coffee club don't change for bicycles unless a car turns up! grrrrrr

[RonK]

The no cycling through the tunnel at Nundah shits me no end.

BQ managed to get the No Bikes signs removed from the tunnels on the ICB. Are they aware of these new signs on Sandgate Road?

[beanspropulsion]

...

The no cycling through the tunnel at Nundah shits me no end. Going through Nundah is a major time waste because the damn light outside the Coffee club don't change for bicycles unless a car turns up! grrrrrr

apparently because you're on a bike its OK to just shoot through the red. well according to some anyway, especially if no one is watching or sees you do it. I don't suggest it. or even suggest that you actually do it now.

I usually give it one change and then go when it is clear..... Smart state...huh

[sumgy]

I never have a problem getting a green arrow at Coffee Club.
Go Left then take a right just after the train bridge which brings you out at the lights at Toombul Shopping Centre.
No idea why anyone would want to be on Sandgate Road after there anyway unless they have a death wish.

[PawPaw]

I saw a cherry picker and 8 guys putting that new sign up last Sunday morning around 8am. It's a labor intensive job, you see.
I had to look twice and almost drove back to get a better look, because I use that section all the time.
This is the thing though, in Brisbane, Sandgate Rd is arguably the most heavily used road by cyclists on the weekends as they make their way to/from Redcliffe Peninsula.

On the northbound section underneath that overpass, the bike lane disappears too, and I've had several trucks not give me enough room there.
I wouldn't be surprised if the stupid govt blocks that section too.

The thing is the southbound section has a 60kph speed limit leading onto the overpass, but rarely do vehicles slow down to that.....and if the govt considers it dangerous, why have I never ever seen a speed camera there?

As others have said, it is just as dangerous to take the Toombul Rd exit and turn right into Melton or wherever.

I only ever use that overpass before 8am on Sat and Sun mornings, and there's hardly any traffic. Still, there's always the minority who don't want to give you room, when the right hand lane is free. Every time I hear about the Ugly American, I think Australia should shut up, because we are increasingly backward bogans with too much money and too little brains to use it intelligently.

I may just take to using the Gateway Arterial during peak hour, because it usually never moves more than 25kph.

[RonK]

This is the thing though, in Brisbane, Sandgate Rd is arguably the most heavily used road by cyclists on the weekends as they make their way to/from Redcliffe Peninsula.

I have seen bikes going over the overpass on the weekends, but always assumed they were locals.
Most of the bunches doing the Redcliffe or Sandgate rides use Toombul Road, Nudgee Road and Kingdford-Smith Drive to return to the CBD.
That is the route I always use. Why bother with Sangate Road on a training ride?

[PawPaw]

Most of the bunches doing the Redcliffe or Sandgate rides use Toombul Road, Nudgee Road and Kingdford-Smith Drive to return to the CBD.
That is the route I always use. Why bother with Sangate Road on a training ride?

There's many rides that originate in the northern burbs that use the overpass to get back to Hamilton, Rode, and Buckland Roads, and Kedron Brook Bikeway.
I reckon Kingsford Smith Drive is a lot more dangerous than Sandgate and Toombul Rd intersection.

[RonK]

There's many rides that originate in the northern burbs that use the overpass to get back to Hamilton, Rode, and Buckland Roads, and Kedron Brook Bikeway.

Yeah, that's what I mean by local. But if you are heading for the city, to continue from Buckland Road through Nundah, Toombul, Clayfield, Wooloowin, Albion and Newstead, Sandgate Road is narrow and busy particularly around the Junction Road intersection, even on a Saturday morning, and there are lots and lots of traffic lights. It must be bloody awful on a weekday commute.

I don't ride it often during the week but Kingsford Smith Drive is usually not particularly busy on weekends. There is more traffic about when the cruise ships are in port but that is irregular. It did get a bit fraught when the Clem 7 was under construction but it has calmed down now. I ride it most weekends.

[PawPaw]

I would never recommend southbound cyclists continue past the East West Arterial on Sandgate Rd. Between there and Abbotsford Rd, the traffic is too heavy and there's no shoulder.

A lot of groups filter back into the northern burbs via the roads I mentioned and even KBB.
I've been using the overpass for 5 years, and have learned to time the cross from the bike lane to it with the previous set of lights, which gives time to get almost to the crest of the bridge before the next block of vehicles comes past. However, many guys take a cavalier attitude when crossing the two off ramp lanes to the overpass, which I'd guess has resulted in the sign.

There's many rides that originate in the northern burbs that use the overpass to get back to Hamilton, Rode, and Buckland Roads, and Kedron Brook Bikeway.

Yeah, that's what I mean by local. But if you are heading for the city, to continue from Buckland Road through Nundah, Toombul, Clayfield, Wooloowin, Albion and Newstead, Sandgate Road is narrow and busy particularly around the Junction Road intersection, even on a Saturday morning, and there are lots and lots of traffic lights. It must be bloody awful on a weekday commute.

I don't ride it often during the week but Kingsford Smith Drive is usually not particularly busy on weekends. There is more traffic about when the cruise ships are in port but that is irregular. It did get a bit fraught when the Clem 7 was under construction but it has calmed down now. I ride it most weekends.

[heay]

After asking a few questions as to way this has been put up, I have found out there is some major work to be done to the guardrail on the overpass, after it is completed the sign will be taken down.

[franklin]

i was riding that way last month and as i smashed up the overpass i looked down and saw that electricity substation below.
I'm not great with heights at the best of time and this uneasy feeling came over me about how the tiny guard rail was no protection at all and I thought how easily a big wind gust might just push me over. eek

[PawPaw]

Drove past this afternoon, and would you believe there's now 6 signs up banning bikes and peds from the overpass.
Somehow I don't think those signs are there until the guard rail gets fixed.

[themerlin]

Article about this in the chronicle. It's the height of the barrier not the traffic that's the issue and they are going to think about it till June !

[PawPaw]

bike lane just stops.
many riders want to cross the two lanes that exit left, to use the overpass. A lot who don't look behind adequately, cross to the overpass in a careless manner.
there's now three pairs of signs up.

[themerlin]

the article implied the only issue was the barrier, I will see if I can find it