Letter Writing Works

HughMann said:

I am very sure that its the work of many others who deserve the thanks for the positive outcome for cyclists in the article below.
The weight of evidence and complaint has finally won the day.
Since coming to live in Pallarenda 3 years ago I have written to everyone vaguely concerned with roads, attended meetings, spoken to councilors and generally been a pain in the bum about the condition of the road and the path. I know many others have also taken similar action.

Brill! For anyone else wanting to take positive action, here's a letter writing guide of sorts put together for WoJ:
http://bicyclejustice.blogspot.com/2005_06_28_bicyclejustice_archive.html#111995175427440617

Also, have a look in the WoJ blog's righthand column under 'Resources & Skills' for links & further tips.

HughMann <[email hidden]>
wrote in news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I am very sure that its the work of many others who deserve
the thanks for the positive outcome for cyclists in the
article below. The weight of evidence and complaint has
finally won the day. Since coming to live in Pallarenda 3
years ago I have written to everyone vaguely concerned with
roads, attended meetings, spoken to councilors and
generally been a pain in the bum about the condition of the
road and the path. I know many others have also taken
similar action.

The upgrades are over a number of years but its a start and
something is happening. Nothing has happened for 30 years
except an occasional patch.

It feels good to be a bit player in this victory.

'Townsville Bulletin' (http://tinyurl.com/8pfx5)

Cape Pallarenda Rd will be widened by the Townsville
City Council

Worst road will undergo repairs
By JESSICA JOHNSTON
02dec05

POOR surface quality and narrow shoulders make Cape
Pallarenda Rd Townsville's most dangerous drive, a
state-wide survey found.

Townsville City Council will spend an initial $360,000
widening and repairing the road, after it was blacklisted
in the RACQ's 2005 unroadworthy roads survey.

The survey invited Queensland residents to nominate
inadequate roads within local, state and federal
jurisdiction. RACQ traffic and safety engineer Gary
Miszkowycz said problems indicated on Cape Pallarenda Rd
included poor maintenance, rough surface and cracking.
"We even had reports of grass growing through some areas of
the road," Mr Miszkowycz said. Poor road shoulders, narrow
lanes and lack of overtaking opportunity
were also noted problems.

Recommendations included resurfacing and improving
shoulders and widening, and adding overtaking lanes.

The council's community safety committee chairwoman, Cr
Jenny Hill, said the council was aware the road needed
repairs and had allocated $360,000 in this year's budget to
initiate the project. She said upgrades would begin early
in the new year to a 500-600m stretch of the road from
Eclipse St. A water pipe will be relocated in January or
February with work to the road itself set to begin in May.
A 4.7km stretch of the road will be widened over the next
five to six years.

Cr Hill said the high number of cyclists who used the road
had made widening it essential.
"Work is obviously needed on the bike and pedestrian path,
not just the road itself," she said.

Ummm errrr, not sure if I should say this but....

The letters have very little to do with the decision. It's
got a lot more to do with the recent sale of land near the
cape and the person who bought it. For them to develop the
land they would have had to add the shoulders to meet the
minimum standard under the City Plan. So council will spend
your rates to do it.

There are a couple of other issues associated with the
decision such as the need to reconstruct the road and the
condition of the two bridges but the reason given above is
the main factor. TCC garners almost no votes in Pallarenda
and can safely ignore it.

Main Roads (who had the road prior to 1988) originally
designed a shoulder widening project in 1986 and actually
provided some bulk funds to council at hand over for this and
a couple of other roads. Strangely council used it to fund
other upgrades (in predominately labour wards).

Cheers

BrettM