DETAILED designs for the Sandy Bay walking and cycling project have gone on public display.
Some of the proposed treatments could be controversial, including one-way bicycle lanes in Sandy Bay Rd from Wayne Ave to Cartwrights Reserve, the southern boundary of the City of Hobart.
These were proposed to be similar to the cycle lanes in Argyle and Campbell Sts, Hobart, but with the cycle lanes abutting the kerb.
The various treatments proposed would result in some loss of parking spaces along the eastern side of Sandy Bay Rd between Drysdale Place (the traffic entrance to the casino) and Cartwrights Reserve.
Outbound buses would stop in the traffic lane (similar to Melbourne trams) for passenger drop-off at the casino and the Sandy Bay Infant School, with stops generally to be modified to improve safety for bus patrons.
In 2008-09 Hobart Council started to develop concept options for walking and cycling along this route between Marieville Esplanade at Sandy Bay and Cartwrights Reserve.
The designs propose:
• Marieville Esplanade: A signposted bicycle-friendly zone where cyclists would use the existing road.
• Sandy Bay Rd from Marieville Esplanade to Drysdale Place: A widened footpath to four metres on the river side of Sandy Bay Rd for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Sandy Bay Rd (from Drysdale Place to Long Point Rd): A 2.5m to 3m-wide, two-way cycle path on the river side of the road.
• Lower Sandy Bay shopping area (Long Point Rd to Beach Rd): A signposted pedestrian and bicycle-friendly shared zone where cyclists would use the existing road.
• Sandy Bay Rd (from Wayne Ave to Cartwrights Reserve): One way on road bicycle lanes on each side of the road.
The public display of the proposals will be at Hobart City Council atrium until August 27.
Healthy Transport Hobart
ACTIVITY AGAINST AFLUENCE
Future Doctors and Nurses support Sandy Bay Cycle/Walkway
When: Tuesday 17th August, 2010
Time: 3.30pm (1530)
Where: Cnr of Marieville Esplanade and Sandy Bay Rd
Local Health Professionals and students are urging the Hobart community to recognize the health benefits of the proposed Walk/Cycle way between Marieville Esplanade and Cartwright Reserve through supporting the plans drawn up by the Hobart City Council. This comes in the face of local opposition to the project from residents along the popular road in one of Hobart’s most affluent suburbs.
GPs, Nurses, Medical students and bicycle users will gather on Sandy Bay Rd in tuesday afternoon peak hour to flash signs listing the health benefits of active transport at road users on their way home to Sandy Bay, Taroona and Kingston.
Registered Nurse Liam Correy said: “Prevention has been proven time and time again over cure. So it is our responsibility as budding health professionals to inform any community opposition to such progress that health benefits and safety should not be exchanged for a few on-road carparks”.
Medical Student James Correy said: “Telling people that they need to be more active is not good enough any more. It just doesn’t work. There is convincing evidence that provision of high quality and separated facilities for walking and cycling such as the Sandy Bay Cycle/Walk way will have a profound impact on the number of physically active people in Hobart”.
“The construction of the sandy bay cycle way would benefit current and future bicycle users from across Hobart. Riders of different ilks will have greater and safer opportunities to engage in the healthy activity that is bike riding”, said Anna Norris a 3rd Year Medical Student.
Last week the Australian Local Government Association, Bus Industry Confederation of Australia, the Heart Foundation, Cycling Promotion Fund and the International Association of Public Transport urged all major political parties to embrace active transport as part of the policy cure for the challenges of chronic disease, climate change and congestion.
http://healthytransporthobart.org/2010/08/15/support-sandy-bay-cycle-lanes-demonstration/
Download:
ActiveTransport_Draft_5.pdf
