Sydney - Kent & King st dedicated lanes

In article <[email hidden]>,

Andrew Price said:

Don't get wildly excited Sin City but this may be a slight improvement - see

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Council/OnExhibition/KentStCycleRoute.asp

best, Andrew

Andrew,

Thanks for the link. I will read it and send a response. I will probably
only use it a couple of times a year but I wish it had been there when I
used to cycle from Paddington to Mosman. At a quick glance it looks to
be a good idea.

regards,
Darryl

Andrew Price said:

Don't get wildly excited Sin City but this may be a slight improvement -
see

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Council/OnExhibition/KentStCycleRoute.asp

Thanks for this link, it looks interesting and potentially useful.

I'm a little bit leery of the 2-way cycle lanes on the north side of King
St,
with particular reference to the downhill (east->west) lane. Are there any
other examples, in Oz or elsewhere, where contra flow cycle lanes have
been implemented successfully? If I was going to cycle contra flow in a
one-way street, I think I'd prefer to do it on the other side, so I'd be
passing the drivers' doors rather than the passengers'. ISTM much
easier that way for drivers to judge distance from side of car to cyclist.
With the setup as planned, rumble strips on the left driver's lane edge
would be a good idea (they've probably already thought of that).

If they're going to put in a contra flow lane in King St, why not extend
it further up the hill. King St going east->west is a perpetual problem.

--
beerwolf (remove numbers from email address)

beerwolf said:

If they're going to put in a contra flow lane in King St, why not extend
it further up the hill. King St going east->west is a perpetual problem.

Having worked in the MLC centre, I didn't find it a problem. The cops
didn't seem to mind bikes in Martin Pl, even if said bikes were having fun
with stairs. Then George St, up <the one just past Wynyard>and down
Clarence to the bridge.

I was never hooting through there, but there's plenty of room to cruise
along at around 15km/h.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
The RSPCA at the end of the road where I work also
offers a pet chipping service. Whenever I see the
sign (most days) I think of the film Fargo.

Random Data said:

beerwolf said:

If they're going to put in a contra flow lane in King St, why not extend
it further up the hill. King St going east->west is a perpetual problem.

Having worked in the MLC centre, I didn't find it a problem. The cops
didn't seem to mind bikes in Martin Pl, even if said bikes were having fun
with stairs. Then George St, up <the one just past Wynyard>and down
Clarence to the bridge.

Mmm, yes, my office looks out over Martin Place. The last time I saw
coppers there booking cyclists was more than a year ago. Plenty of people
cycle through there in spite of the signs, most are careful and take it slow
but I suppose somebody hoons it up now and again, someone complains
and the cops feel they have to make a token effort again.

The Martin Place route is fine if you're going north; my comment related
more to wanting to use the shared path to the Pyrmont bridge, that
starts at the bottom of King St. The only real choices are to take a very
long detour north via Erskine, or south via Market (thus bypassing
shared path), or ride the footpaths alongside King St. Plenty of cyclists
take the footpath option.

--
beerwolf (remove numbers from email address)

"beerwolf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andrew Price said:

Don't get wildly excited Sin City but this may be a slight improvement -
see

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Council/OnExhibition/KentStCycleRoute.asp

Thanks for this link, it looks interesting and potentially useful.

I'm a little bit leery of the 2-way cycle lanes on the north side of King
St,
with particular reference to the downhill (east->west) lane. Are there any
other examples, in Oz or elsewhere, where contra flow cycle lanes have
been implemented successfully? If I was going to cycle contra flow in a
one-way street, I think I'd prefer to do it on the other side, so I'd be
passing the drivers' doors rather than the passengers'. ISTM much
easier that way for drivers to judge distance from side of car to cyclist.
With the setup as planned, rumble strips on the left driver's lane edge
would be a good idea (they've probably already thought of that).

If they're going to put in a contra flow lane in King St, why not extend
it further up the hill. King St going east->west is a perpetual problem.

--
beerwolf (remove numbers from email address)

There are a few contra flow lanes now in Sydney, but not two way like this.
In fact the RTA guidelines dont recommend two way paths next to car lanes. I
think it could be dangerous for the downhill cyclist, one mistake and you're
head on with cars zooming up the hill, or having a headon with cyclists.
Rumble strips would only make it worse. Cant see why they cant have a contra
flow on the south side and eastbound cyclists share a wide lane up the hill
with cars. Might be a bit tricky at Sussex for westbound cyclists to access
the cycleway to Pyrmont Bridge - have to do a diagonal crossing.

fb

Fractal said:

There are a few contra flow lanes now in Sydney, but not two way like
this.

Yes, one that now occurs to me is the single cycle lane that runs along the
one-way minor street beside the railway betwen Milsons & Nth Sydney.
It works well.

Quoted message said:

In fact the RTA guidelines dont recommend two way paths next to car lanes.
I think it could be dangerous for the downhill cyclist, one mistake and
you're head on with cars zooming up the hill, or having a headon with
cyclists. Rumble strips would only make it worse.

Agree.

Quoted message said:

Cant see why they cant have a
contra flow on the south side and eastbound cyclists share a wide lane up
the hill with cars. Might be a bit tricky at Sussex for westbound cyclists
to access the cycleway to Pyrmont Bridge - have to do a diagonal
crossing.

Yes, I think a southside downhill contra flow would work very well.
And the uphill cycle lane is not necessary - King Street is fine as it is
now
for cyclists going east. Re crossing to the cycleway at Sussex - cyclists
who use the southside footpath have exactly the same issue now. It's
not really a problem - if traffic is going up King St, you can cross Sussex
to the traffic island just north of Tony Roma's rib house, then wait for the
ped light where the expressway ends.

--
beerwolf (remove numbers from email address)

noice, but side-by-side 2.9m car lanes could be a bit nastee. altho depends upon speed (or lack thereof) in the area...

In aus.bicycle on Sat, 20 May 2006 12:15:45 GMT

Fractal said:

There are a few contra flow lanes now in Sydney, but not two way like this.

There's one really short one on Mary Ann in Ultimo, I found it the
other day. But only a few metres and not in a highly trafficked area.

Zebee

"flyingdutch" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

noice, but side-by-side 2.9m car lanes could be a bit nastee. altho
depends upon speed (or lack thereof) in the area...

--
flyingdutch

If the contraflow was on the south side and cyclists shared the traffic lane
eastbound they could use the 1.5 metres thereby saved to make a wide
eastbound traffic lane of about 4 m, with a wide median between the
contraflow and the eastbound traffic lane.

Anyway if people wish to comment on the King or Kent St proposal, email Alan
Saxby at the council [email hidden] .

Cyclists coming off the Bridge might give Kent a miss anyway and use York St
etc instead if they are going to the northern CBD. Seems a bit piecemeal,
why dont they wait until the whole City Bike Plan is exhibited, which is
supposed to be sometime soon.

fb

Whoops - email to the city council should be asaxby@... not alan.saxby@...

fb

"Fractal" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"flyingdutch" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

noice, but side-by-side 2.9m car lanes could be a bit nastee. altho
depends upon speed (or lack thereof) in the area...

--
flyingdutch

If the contraflow was on the south side and cyclists shared the traffic
lane eastbound they could use the 1.5 metres thereby saved to make a wide
eastbound traffic lane of about 4 m, with a wide median between the
contraflow and the eastbound traffic lane.

Anyway if people wish to comment on the King or Kent St proposal, email
Alan Saxby at the council [email hidden] .

Cyclists coming off the Bridge might give Kent a miss anyway and use York
St etc instead if they are going to the northern CBD. Seems a bit
piecemeal, why dont they wait until the whole City Bike Plan is exhibited,
which is supposed to be sometime soon.

fb