As I cycle around the Shore, there are some stretches of road that that make me grit my teeth and pedal flat out to get through them as quickly as possible. Typically they're fast and narrow, where traffic thunders past with just inches to spare. Perhaps you can add to my list by responding to this post so we can get some action on them:
- Lake Rd between Hauraki Corner and Esmonde Rd
- Wairau Rd from Shakespeare Rd to Tristram Ave
- East Coast Rd up the hill past Rangitoto College (no wonder so few kids cycle to school...)
- Sunset Rd motorway overbridge
- Upper Harbour and Albany Highways in the vicinity of Bush Rd
- Upper Harbour Drive over the bridge (though this may improve with the new bridge construction)
- all of Northcote Rd
- Glenfield Rd, especially where the few sections of cycle lane disappear when you need them most
- Kitchener Rd where we're for ever pulling out into the traffic stream around parked cars
- Northcote Rd/Taharoto Rd intersection. Note how the cycle rails neatly launch you in to the path of straight through vehicles even though you're legally turning right.
I'm sure there are more - there are some roads I just don't get to ride. Please add them to this list. or discuss other danger spots that could do with improvement.
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4 comments:
Hi Steve
Have you ever thought of plotting these blackspots on a Google map? Let me know if you are interested in this. I may be able to help you with some resources from the Cycling Advocates Networks Digital Strategy.
Cheers,
Andre
PS: Check the Digital Strategy Blog at http://www.can.org.nz/dsblog/
You have a good list of hotspots Steve. What gets me is the now-you-see-it, now-its not-there bike lane, most of the bike routes are like this.
How about East Coast Rd by Pupuke (?) Golf Course - theres a lane marked - it might be a bike lane 'cos it starts with a yellow line to prevent cars parking in it,but then the yellow line ends so cars can park in most of it, and the club has more real estate than probably anyone else on the Shore, they could easily have more of their own parking, but no, they have to park on the transport corridor. Beats me. And its a hazard.
Al
On Kitchener/Hurstmere it isn't just the parked cars, it is also the two sharp left hand bends going north. The road suddenly constricts at both corners and cars also tend to cut the corners making the problem worse, even when they are stationary in a que which uneccessarily blocks the road for cyclists.
Another one is the East Coast/Max Welton junction. I had a bad crash there with a car that didn't realise there was a cycle lane. He was going NE on EC turning into MW when the traffic stopped on the road, not realising that cyclist are comming straight through.
Steve, nice blog - keep up the good work. I agree with you re: Esmonde Rd / Hauraki. Its a nightmare - esp. travelling South which is slightly uphill and cycling is relatively slow. I use the footpath here.
Some other spots..
Anzac St between Barrys Point and Fred Thomas Drive.
Lake Rd and Bayswater Ave.
Have to say where the cycle lanes have gone in feels a whole lot safer. eg: Esmonde Rd between Barrys Point and Lake Rd going East and down past Takapuna Grammar going South.
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