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HarbourLink (part of) design starting – July 2nd 2010

The RTA announced at this morning’s North Sydney Bicycle Committee meeting that $1.363 million has been budgeted in this financial year (2010-2011) to construct a 1.3 km long SUP (shared user path) along the Warringah Freeway that will result in nearly half of HarbourLink / the 3km long “missing link” being completed during the next 12 months.  At the folllowing meeting (August 13), the RTA announced that the funding was only for design work, not construction, despite the information on theior July 2 handout.  This extraordinary slashing of funding is extremely concering.

The information provided on a single sheet includes 3 boxes stating …..
1.  $463,000 for construction(our emphasis)of a shared use path beside the Warringah Freeway from Miller Street to Ernest Street, Cammeray

2. $500,000 for construction of a shared use path beside the Warringah Freeway under the Ernest Street bridge, Cammeray

3. $400,000 for construction of a shared use path beside the Warringah Freeway from Falcon Street to Ridge Street, Neutral Bay

It doesn’t specifically mention a link between Ernest St and Falcon St.  This hopefully is an oversight.

This is our assessment :

1.  The first section is apparently a two-way shared user path immediately north of the Miller St entry ramp but physically separated from the freeway lanes, proceeding along the freeway corridor adjacent to the Cammeray Golf Course through to the Ernest St underpass referred to in 2.

At the western end, construction has recently started on the $10M Bus Layover (parking for 33 buses) between the Warringah Freeway shoulder and the Miller St entry ramp and immediately east of Miller St.  At its western end, on completion most cyclists will then proceed along Amherst St, which was recently signposted for eastbound cyclists due to the bus layover construction.  In the near future we want an SUP underpass of the Miller St entry ramp constructed so cyclists would then be able to continue along the freeway corridor through to a proposed overpass of the Brook St entry ramp (the RTA drilled 7 exploratory holes there last month) then further west to link to the 7.5 km long SUP that extends along the Gore Hill Freeway corridor, Epping Rd (Lane Cove) through to Wicks Rd at North Ryde.

2.  Self-explanatory, though it doesn’t mention the extension through to Falcon St ….. hopefully just an oversight.

3.  Many cyclists will be aware of the relatively new underpass of Falcon St, however on the southern side it is a switchback bringing users to the Falcon St footpath (south side).  We have no details of the new works.  At the southern end, a relatively new ramp extends northward from the Ridge St bridge providing an alternative to the original major flight of steps.  Ideally, the RTA should construct a near-level SUP from the Ridge St bridge through to the Falcon St underpass, a distance of around 450 metres.  The risk is that the RTA may drop cyclists at the base of the new Ridge St ramp, then be faced with a very steep climb for the next 170 metres along Alfred St North.  At this point (Wyagdon St on right) it is at the same level as the adjacent freeway.  It would be absurd to have such a climb as part of this major transport corridor when a quality level facility could be designed and constructed.  Unfortunately, the $400,000 allocated indicates a low cost, with a very steep section.

The above will provide a continuous SUP (1.3 km long) between Miller St and the Ridge St bridge, but we’re concerned a section or two might be very substandard due to the steepness.

Please send emails (‘bcc’ to us) in support of this most welcome development while highlighting the need for a best-graded facility as well as the next priority, the design and funding of the Brook St to Miller St section.

Minister for Transport, The Hon. John Robertson, MP, office@robertson.minister.nsw.gov.au
 
The NSW Premier, Kristina Keneally, premier@www.nsw.gov.au 

RTA Feedback Form, http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=feedback.form
 
RTA BikePlan project team, Bike_Plan@rta.nsw.gov.au (note the underscore)

   Leader of the Opposition, Mr Barry O'Farrell, MP  LOP@parliament.nsw.gov.au

   Shadow Minister for Transport and Ports, Mr Andrew Stoner, MP  oxley@parliament.nsw.gov.au

   Shadow Minister for Health, Mrs Jillian Skinner, MP  northshore@parliament.nsw.gov.au

   Shadow Treasurer, Mr Mike Baird, MP  manly@parliament.nsw.gov.au

visit our supporters:

Bicycle NSW www.bicyclensw.org.au Bike North www.bikenorth.org.au Cycling Promotion Fund www.cyclingpromotion.com.au Sydney Cyclist www.sydneycyclist.com

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other links:

www.cycling.org.au www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au www.bfa.asn.au