Hamilton City Wheels Spin Toward Cycles with Bridge Revamp

15/11/2019 Hamilton City wheels spin toward cycles with bridge revamp | Stuff.co.nz

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Hamilton City wheels spin toward cycles with bridge revamp

Libby Wilson · 17:58, Jul 19 2019

DOMINICO ZAPATA/STUFF Hamilton City Council Hamilton West candidate Sarah Thomson cycles over the Claudelands Bridge. New lanes are aimed at getting cyclists off the footpath and safely using the road.

There's a big change coming for one of Hamilton's key bridges, and bikes will benefit. https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/114317853/hamilton-city-wheels-spin-toward-cycles-with-bridge-revamp?rm=a 1/9 15/11/2019 Hamilton City wheels spin toward cycles with bridge revamp | Stuff.co.nz But it's unlikely to be the last for the city some are tipping to be the country's waikato times Log in cycling mecca.

Claudelands Bridge will get a lower speed limit, some separate cycleways and new road markings to help two-wheeled travellers get over the river safely.

KM21 A lower speed limit, cycleways and road marking are coming to Hamilton's Claudelands Bridge. Pictured is an artist impression showing the approach to the bridge, heading into town.

It's part of a wider push to make Hamilton bike-friendly, and city councillor Mark Bunting reckons the city should be New Zealand's cycling capital.

Hamilton's small, the weather's decent, and there are no hills, he said.

READ MORE: * Swapping cars for bikes could save over $30m in fuel bills * Health cost in promoting cycling without safety provisions: trauma study * Ratepayers stung for road projects 'unlikely' to go ahead

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DOMINICO ZAPATA/STUFF Hamilton City Council Hamilton West candidate Sarah Thomson is pushing for more transport options.

Council figures say about 600 bikes cross Claudelands Bridge in a day, with more than 12,000 vehicles.

"[With the new project], we're finally getting cyclists over the river without having to take their lives into their hands or go up to Pukete," said Bunting, who chairs the Access Hamilton taskforce.

He's got a dream of a connected cycle network - "not at the expense of cars" - and more testing of temporary approaches, such as the hit sticks around Fairfield Bridge.

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TOM LEE/STUFF "We're finally getting cyclists over the river without having to take their lives into their hands or go up to Pukete," Hamilton City councillor Mark Bunting said.

The Claudelands changes will cost just under $1 million and start happening from late July.

The speed will drop to 30kmh, and other changes include bits of separated cycleway, and share arrow (sharrow) markings to show where bikes should go in the middle of the lane.

Footpaths on Claudelands Bridge are too narrow for bikes and pedestrians to share, city transportation special projects manager Jason Harrison said.

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Major cycle routes should be off the road where possible, Hamilton City councillor Dave Macpherson said. "Where they can't be - like Claudelands Bridge - that whole road is changed to be much safer." (file photo)

TOM LEE/STUFF Major cycle routes should be off the road where possible, Hamilton City councillor Dave Macpherson said. "Where they can't be - like Claudelands Bridge - that whole road is changed to be much safer." (file photo)

With the changes, bikes should be able to stay in the traffic lane.

City council candidate Sarah Thomson supports the approach, given the narrow spot, as it's "making the best of what you have got to try and get things happening a lot quicker".

Thomson has experienced a few knocks on Hamilton roads, where cycle lanes appear and disappear, and said turning right at a roundabout is a cyclist's nightmare.

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Hamilton's Western Rail Trail will soon get an extension right into the CBD. Gurpreet Singh is pictured enjoying the off-road path (file photo).

DOMINICO ZAPATA/STUFF Hamilton's Western Rail Trail will soon get an extension right into the CBD. Gurpreet Singh is pictured enjoying the off-road path (file photo).

"When we were living in Glenview and the [Western] Rail Trail came out, that was amazing ... being able to bike and just enjoy it and get to the other end without your blood pressure going through the roof. But it doesn't generally feel safe, in most places, biking."

Council could move things around to provide better for bikes, she said.

For example, Victoria Street could go to one lane, and carparks could be moved out protect a cycle lane on the footpath side.

Several voices say we need to fill in the gaps for Hamilton cyclists, including local group Bike Waikato.

It started Ungap the Map, gathering information on trouble spots from anyone who bikes or would like to, and passing it on to council to inform future work.

A dangerous intersection near home could put someone off biking, member Richard Porter said, and those "interested but concerned" people are where the group could get some traction.

When council's infrastructure chairman Dave Macpherson thinks of gaps, the Fairfield intersection of Clarkin and Bankwood Roads comes to mind.

"The cycleway disappears and you're into this really tight intersection which is only marked for cars," he said. https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/114317853/hamilton-city-wheels-spin-toward-cycles-with-bridge-revamp?rm=a 6/9 15/11/2019 Hamilton City wheels spin toward cycles with bridge revamp | Stuff.co.nz "We have to have some main cycle routes that are, where possible, off the main waikato times Log in roads. And where they can't be - like Claudelands Bridge - that whole road is changed to be much safer, so you can go to any quadrant in the city without having to take your life in your hands."

Larger projects coming up include an extension of the Western Rail Trail into the CBD and, in future, a city to university cycle route.

Macpherson is frustrated at a lack of progress on the school link project in Hamilton East, discussed as a way to support transport around 14 schools.

It would have run along Peachgrove and Hukanui Roads, but there's uncertainty around NZTA funding.

More people seem to be biking, city council's special projects manager for city transportation Jason Harrison said, judging by his commute.

Overall, council must cater for everything from private vehicles, to public transport, and walking - plus newer methods such as car share and e-scooters.

"It's quite an exciting and dynamic space," he said. "The challenge for us is what we know about but also what we don't know about, and how things will change."

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