Council Genius Moves - Bikeways

[Mr Purple]

I run the risk of 'Dunning-Kruger'-ing this because I honestly don't know enough to have a fully educated opinion.

But I'm with you - from the brief research I've done the type of fencing they've actually installed is not at all 'koala-proof' and I suspect it's a token effort to keep residents happy.

I have seen koalas in the area, but more notably I have seen plenty of signage from the local 'koala protection' group and I suspect this is the target of the fencing more than the koalas themselves.

The road it's meant to be shielding is Boundary Road. This has already had its speed limit lowered from 70 to 60 for that section (fine) but there are absolutely no traffic calming devices beyond a 'SAM' sign and cars routinely fly up the straight road at well over the limit.

I actually posted that photo to the local 'Bike lane' group and was accused of 'whataboutism' when I asked why the bike paths had effectively been made useless while it was the road doing all the damage. This is now a useless bike/access path for a variety of users, and I agree the fence seems to be a token effort.

To make it worse Boundary Road because Holland Road just over the stretch. I'm a brave rider and I've ridden Holland Road upwards literally once - no shoulder, four car lanes. The footpath is a classic poorly maintained 50cm wide concrete path and I take that in preference. It's ok, it's not as if that bit's next to a school or anything (it's next to a school).

I do find it funny that there's been a 'Koala Died Here' sign on Boundary Road for years. And yet BCC routinely removes ghost bikes that say where a cyclist has died. Priorities?

[redsonic]

They want to give the impression that they care about the Koala population in that corner of Brisbane.

The truth is that the relentless process of suburban life with cars, more cars, trucks, courier drivers, Uber drivers, dogs, and environmental loss etc is well beyond their powers to meaningfully control.

You've got this list the wrong way around. 1/ by a country mile is environmental loss & fragmentation. Then we have predation by dogs, and road deaths. All of these problems are due to population growth and urban sprawl.

As far as I know there are no Koalas in other naturally-vegetated suburbs of Brisbane, and never have been.
Queensland Koalas are quite particular about where they live. The notable koala populations in Qld are mostly in locations very close to the sea, such as Burleigh Heads, Noosa National Park and Magnetic Island.
So you will never see a Koala in the forests around Mt Coottha.

I have seen a koala in Belmont (Pine Mountain Road), also several West of Ipswich (Rosewood), several West of Caboolture, and 2 just the other day on the Redcliffe Peninsula. Arguing that their current range in some way reflects their preferred habitat is specious at best. We need to do everything we can to preserve their current populations, but also expand their range. The barrier that Mr Purple photographed is no solution; just a symptom of how fragmented their populations are. Bushland near the Koalas I saw the other day is being cleared for further housing. We can decide to continue to do next to nothing, but need to accept the blame for their consequent local extinction.

[blizzard]

And probably my least favorite council sign of all time.

This is on a climb to Griffith University. It's a wide quiet road, gentle curves, good visibility and well over 1m of shoulder for most of it.



And yet we apparently have to take the footpath 'for our safety'. If any motorist manages to hit a cyclist on this road they shouldn't be driving. Hate how they're putting the onus back on the cyclist and giving motorists more flame to the fuel of the idea that we shouldn't be on the road in the first place. Pretty pathetic stuff.

So, I was taking the cargo bike to the shops via Griffith. On the way down I took the road (ignoring the sign to take Johnson path), on the way back I tried Johnson path, and can confirm there is huge set of stairs. So turned around on went back up the road.


multiple photos in single frame online free


I kind of understand, that during the week there would be a heap of cars on the entrance road and high potential for interactions with cyclists. However, the road is so wide, they could easily build protected bike lanes in each direction by just putting down some concrete bollards. It would be a rounding error on their budget.

[elantra]

Yeah that sign on the road into Griffith Uni deserves some sort of a prize for its ridiculousness.


I would guess that it wasn’t put there by Bris City Council because there would be 10 thousand roads in Brisbane that are more hazard than that and none of them have any such signage.

In defence of Brisbane - in terms of cycling infrastructure it is probably better than any other Local Government Area in Queensland.

It’s certainly a LOT better than the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, and any other regional city in Queensland that I can think of.

On the Gold Coast (the “Goldy” in local lingo), perhaps the most well- patronised route for recreational and training cyclists is Currumbin Valley.
It registers strongly on the Strava Heatmap and has been popular for decades.
It’s a beautiful Valley and terminates at a delightful National Park etc.

When it was used (in part) for the 2018 Commonwealth Games TT and Road Cycling courses, some of us thought that Currumbin Creek Rd would get a top-class makeover to make it one of Australia’s most remarkable places to come to with a bicycle.

But no, that would have been too obviously a good idea and it only got a bit of a blacktop patchup in a few places.
I’m guessing that it is a “state controlled” road so probably not the primary responsibility of the GC City Council.
In parts of Currumbin Ck Rd there is a nice broad shoulder and in other parts there is… absolutely no shoulder at all !!!
Currently the Qld Gov is in charge of one of the biggest and slowest-moving road projects in Australian history, the Motorway widening from Reedy Creek to Tugun.
Billions and billions of dollars which includes a new motorway bridge over Currumbin Creek Rd.
And The temporary access for pedestrians and cyclists to cross under the bridge construction site is woefully inadequate.