Comments on: First Look: Uni-Cycle completion

By: Lennyboy

Lennyboy — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 01:09:18 +0000

In reply to Rob. Regarding the signage, I wonder whether some wag has twisted around the separated/shared path signs at the point where they split/join, hence the confusion? Have to agree about some of the sharp turns too; seem to assume that bikes can turn on a pin.

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 07:23:41 +0000

I ride the section from Ilam Road (heading North) to the Law car park on campus most days. Overall the path is great. However, there are some issues.

The key one is getting from Ilam Road onto the cycle path. After you cross the pedestrian crossing you hit a dogleg of a blind corner and a very narrow path. (Same when returning home). I believe the original plans had the large cabbage tree removed and the path straightened and widened. As it is now, this corner is both ambiguous and dangerous – a matter of time before a cyclist collides with a pedestrian or vice versa.

A second concern is the signage. Along University Drive, there are “Cyclists only” signs on parts of the shared path. Where are the peds supposed to go? The yellow rumble strips are a novelty- what do they mean? Is there a difference between the double and the triple sets of yellow lines?

It would also be helpful if the kerbs were clearly marked (eg using yellow tiles?) where bikes can leave the cycle path to cross the road, eg ibnto the law car park. Some are, but not consistently. Oh, and there is no pedestrian crossing near the Sports centre bridge.

I wonder if the use of pavers wasn’t a missed opportunity. Instead of using black pavers in odd places which blend in with the asphalt, might not red or green pavers have been used to indicate pedestruan crossings, eg by the bridge to the Med Centre?

Overall, the University Drive is a welcome addition. However, it could have been even better. The devil seems to be in the detail.

By: Richard H

Richard H — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 06:41:56 +0000

Have they sorted out the conflict with the Riccarton market people straddling the cycle path? I made the mistake of riding down there on a Saturday morning some time last year with my daughter on behind attached to the “Trail Gator”. We were quite long with both bikes and got abuse from shoppers who were wandering around in a daze and almost walked into us (I was straddling the bike walking at the time) this was after I had politely asked them to move aside (when you are that long it is quite hard to manoeuvre). The stall holders didn’t seem to mind us wending our way through. Does anyone know why the part of the path outside Girls High has so many sharp corners? I have been down there a couple of times and most people just jump the kerbs and straight line it as I was doing, it appears to be done for walking speed not biking speed…

By: Anne

Anne — Sun, 14 Jan 2018 03:22:09 +0000

I regularly ride this route which is now much improved. The lights across Waimairi have made this crossing much safer. The zebra crossing on Ilam Road works really well, probably because of the volume of pedestrians and cyclists. The rumble strips are problematic as some cyclists are looking down more concerned about their balance than looking for pedestrians. Clyde Road into Hinau St doesn’t work well, extending the separated cycleway another couple of metres and lining up the cyclist on Hinau St better would help stop conflicts with cars and more confident cyclist who cut back onto Clyde Road then turn into Hinau on the road to avoid this bit. It works okay to the university because you are facing the turning traffic. The cycleway then works really well through to Deans Ave crossing which is now getting a bit narrow to handle the commuter volumes at certain times (a good problem to have). The only other thing I would like to see is more female commuters using the cycleway, particularly in winter when it seems to drop to around 5%.