News & Discussion: Active Transport

[Nort]

The concrete channel seems absolutely required though unfortunately, at peak periods the water flow through there is massive and the drains are part of the infrastructure for preventing potential flooding of the area, have often thought how wonderful it would be if it could be more similar to the Torrens through linear park, but also prefer my house stays unflooded.

[dbl96]

The concrete channel seems absolutely required though unfortunately, at peak periods the water flow through there is massive and the drains are part of the infrastructure for preventing potential flooding of the area, have often thought how wonderful it would be if it could be more similar to the Torrens through linear park, but also prefer my house stays unflooded.

The idea of the best way of flood prevention being concrete channels has largely been discredited. Channeling run-off through impermeable concrete is a massive waste of water, ugly, and can actually increase flood risk under certain circumstances. The trend is now towards the "sponge city" concept, whereby flood water is slowed and retained in the landscape as much as possible, using landscaping which holds it in safe areas. This allows the water to seep into the soil to recharge aquifers, and for excess water to be gradually released downstream at a manageable rate. This is the idea behind new water infrastructure like the lake/wetland area in Victoria Park.

Implementing the "sponge city" concept on Keswick Creek might be difficult, as the corridor is very narrow. However there might be opportunities where it reaches the Airport. A masterplanned redevelopment of the Mile End/Keswick railyards and adjacent industrial areas could also incorporate these features. There might also be opportunities with land left over from the North-South Motorway compulsory acquisitions. These things together might then make it safe to lift the concrete from the whole of the creek and return it to a more natural and attractive state.

[Nort]

The concrete channel seems absolutely required though unfortunately, at peak periods the water flow through there is massive and the drains are part of the infrastructure for preventing potential flooding of the area, have often thought how wonderful it would be if it could be more similar to the Torrens through linear park, but also prefer my house stays unflooded.

The idea of the best way of flood prevention being concrete channels has largely been discredited. Channeling run-off through impermeable concrete is a massive waste of water, ugly, and can actually increase flood risk under certain circumstances. The trend is now towards the "sponge city" concept, whereby flood water is slowed and retained in the landscape as much as possible, using landscaping which holds it in safe areas. This allows the water to seep into the soil to recharge aquifers, and for excess water to be gradually released downstream at a manageable rate. This is the idea behind new water infrastructure like the lake/wetland area in Victoria Park.

Implementing the "sponge city" concept on Keswick Creek might be difficult, as the corridor is very narrow. However there might be opportunities where it reaches the Airport. A masterplanned redevelopment of the Mile End/Keswick railyards and adjacent industrial areas could also incorporate these features. There might also be opportunities with land left over from the North-South Motorway compulsory acquisitions. These things together might then make it safe to lift the concrete from the whole of the creek and return it to a more natural and attractive state.

Oh yeah it would absolutely be better if that water could be retained in the landscape, but it doesn't look like there is currently much chance of that happening at that scale unfortunately. Would be great to be wrong though, a Western Parklands lake and wetlands could be stunning.

[SBD]

The concrete channel seems absolutely required though unfortunately, at peak periods the water flow through there is massive and the drains are part of the infrastructure for preventing potential flooding of the area, have often thought how wonderful it would be if it could be more similar to the Torrens through linear park, but also prefer my house stays unflooded.

The idea of the best way of flood prevention being concrete channels has largely been discredited. Channeling run-off through impermeable concrete is a massive waste of water, ugly, and can actually increase flood risk under certain circumstances. The trend is now towards the "sponge city" concept, whereby flood water is slowed and retained in the landscape as much as possible, using landscaping which holds it in safe areas. This allows the water to seep into the soil to recharge aquifers, and for excess water to be gradually released downstream at a manageable rate. This is the idea behind new water infrastructure like the lake/wetland area in Victoria Park.

Implementing the "sponge city" concept on Keswick Creek might be difficult, as the corridor is very narrow. However there might be opportunities where it reaches the Airport. A masterplanned redevelopment of the Mile End/Keswick railyards and adjacent industrial areas could also incorporate these features. There might also be opportunities with land left over from the North-South Motorway compulsory acquisitions. These things together might then make it safe to lift the concrete from the whole of the creek and return it to a more natural and attractive state.

Oh yeah it would absolutely be better if that water could be retained in the landscape, but it doesn't look like there is currently much chance of that happening at that scale unfortunately. Would be great to be wrong though, a Western Parklands lake and wetlands could be stunning.

The fairly new wetland in the parklands south of Victoria Park is part of that system as far as I know. The Keswick and Brownhill Creeks are connected by a pipeline, I think under Anzac Highway, so floodwater can be distributed if only one floods or the peaks arrive at different times.

[SBD]

Apparently the stop line on Cross Road is to be moved back 100m so that cars don't get stopped by a red light in the space that runaway trucks coming down the SE Freeway need to go through before crashing into the fountain.

Has anyone heard what treatment is intended to protect cyclists in the Cross Road bike lane? Will the green light time be extended long enough for average cyclists to safely cross the intersection from a standing start? Or will they ride up to the original stop line and wait, with the choice to cross in advance of any crashing trucks? Pedestrians hoping to cross Glen Osmond Road might have a long sprint, too.

[Norman]

A few photos from the last few days

[Llessur2002]

Renders for the Frome Street/Road bikeway upgrade are below.

I think a couple of small changes have been made since these were drawn up but they should be pretty close to the final outcome.

[Nathan]

South bound past the zoo and Botanic High is a bit of a mess. Send cyclists through a bus stop, and then up on the footpath with no markings (and narrower than it current is).
They also still need to provide a proper connection between the bikeway and the linear path at the Victoria Dr intersection, particularly to the west.

[ChillyPhilly]

South bound past the zoo and Botanic High is a bit of a mess. Send cyclists through a bus stop, and then up on the footpath with no markings (and narrower than it current is).
They also still need to provide a proper connection between the bikeway and the linear path at the Victoria Dr intersection, particularly to the west.

This, and it could be enhanced by ditching the kerbside parking.

[SRW]

It seems like they're only planning two new trees on Frome Street which is disappointing.

[Llessur2002]

Project update for the north-south bikeway works:

[A-Town]

Unley Council moves to scrap bike lanes on Unley Rd to ease congestion

Bike lanes would be scrapped from a major road under a plan to reduce traffic snarls along a strip used by nearly 28,000 vehicles each day.

Bike lanes would be scrapped from Unley Rd under a plan to reduce traffic snarls along the busy strip.

The change, put forward to the Department of Infrastructure and Transport by Unley Council, would require removing narrow bike lanes from each side of Unley Rd to increase the number of car lanes from four to five.

A new, raised solid median strip, allowing for right turns without stopping traffic, would also be installed.

It is estimated up to 28,000 cars travel along Unley Rd each day.

The plan is yet to be fully investigated by the department.

“At this time, the Council is working with DIT to ascertain the feasibility of potential changes and no decisions have been made,” an Unley Council spokesperson said.

“Once the investigations have been completed, Council will consider the matter formally and resolve at that time how – and if – it wishes to proceed.”

In a letter, Unley Mayor Michael Hewitson, a cyclist, said he understood “concerns” over the removal of bike lanes.

“I understand there were concerns that the removal of bike lanes will result in the Rugby-Porter Bikeway being the only safe route for cyclists from Mitcham and Unley to move north and south,” he said.

He said his council had encouraged neighbouring Mitcham Council to upgrade the bike path, and give cyclists “right-of-way along Rugby Street until the end of the bikeway towards Belair Rd”.
“Please raise this issue with your Council,” he wrote.

Earlier this year, Unley Council announced a major overhaul of parking along the strip in a bid to ease congestion.

Under that plan, pay-for-use parking would be introduced in areas of high parking demand.

Speaking at the time, a council spokesperson said the council only had a “few pay-for-use parking locations within the city, most of which are located around tram/train stops”.

“The plan adopted by council is a strategic approach to managing and optimising its on-street parking provisions.”

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenge ... 1721893869

[ChillyPhilly]

Unley Council moves to scrap bike lanes on Unley Rd to ease congestion

Bike lanes would be scrapped from a major road under a plan to reduce traffic snarls along a strip used by nearly 28,000 vehicles each day.

Bike lanes would be scrapped from Unley Rd under a plan to reduce traffic snarls along the busy strip.

The change, put forward to the Department of Infrastructure and Transport by Unley Council, would require removing narrow bike lanes from each side of Unley Rd to increase the number of car lanes from four to five.

A new, raised solid median strip, allowing for right turns without stopping traffic, would also be installed.

It is estimated up to 28,000 cars travel along Unley Rd each day.

The plan is yet to be fully investigated by the department.

“At this time, the Council is working with DIT to ascertain the feasibility of potential changes and no decisions have been made,” an Unley Council spokesperson said.

“Once the investigations have been completed, Council will consider the matter formally and resolve at that time how – and if – it wishes to proceed.”

In a letter, Unley Mayor Michael Hewitson, a cyclist, said he understood “concerns” over the removal of bike lanes.

“I understand there were concerns that the removal of bike lanes will result in the Rugby-Porter Bikeway being the only safe route for cyclists from Mitcham and Unley to move north and south,” he said.

He said his council had encouraged neighbouring Mitcham Council to upgrade the bike path, and give cyclists “right-of-way along Rugby Street until the end of the bikeway towards Belair Rd”.
“Please raise this issue with your Council,” he wrote.

Earlier this year, Unley Council announced a major overhaul of parking along the strip in a bid to ease congestion.

Under that plan, pay-for-use parking would be introduced in areas of high parking demand.

Speaking at the time, a council spokesperson said the council only had a “few pay-for-use parking locations within the city, most of which are located around tram/train stops”.

“The plan adopted by council is a strategic approach to managing and optimising its on-street parking provisions.”

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenge ... 1721893869

This is extremely bizarre. I can't understand the backwards logic here.

---

Here are two photos of construction of the Frome Street Bikeway extension.

[Saltwater]

Unley Road is a stroad, and a bad one at that. With the volumes of traffic it carries, unless they can be fully protected as they are on sections on Frome Road, bike lanes shouldn't be anywhere near it.

I don't mind these changes if they can build a dedicated cycleway through nearby streets. And good luck with that to Unley Council, I'm sure the NIMBY residents will get right behind it (/sarcasm).

[Waewick]

Unley Road is a stroad, and a bad one at that. With the volumes of traffic it carries, unless they can be fully protected as they are on sections on Frome Road, bike lanes shouldn't be anywhere near it.

I don't mind these changes if they can build a dedicated cycleway through nearby streets. And good luck with that to Unley Council, I'm sure the NIMBY residents will get right behind it (/sarcasm).

Stroad, i hadn't heard that before.

But you are right with the NIMBY problem.

Traffic on Unley Rd doesn't benefit local residents, so having their local roads turned into bike lanes is going to be a tough sell.

A worthwhile sell, because it would be useful for other arterial routes around the city.