Importance of Northern Bikeway

The Northern Bikeway is probably the most important bikeway project in Brisbane that is yet to be committed to. It has the potential to bring north siders in on an equal footing to the west and the south. Coming from the North there is no real quite road - safe offroad route with which a beginner /ordinary rider would be comfortable that is reasonably direct.

I should state that the maps I am about to show were generated on a website called http://www.mapmyrun.com/

The other day I had to go to Lutwyche which as the map shows is a mear 3.5kms from where the ICB goes under Bowen Bridge Road.

Naturally this is very direct.

Now to avoid putting my life at risk due to the direct route being a fast arterial I had to use quite back roads and some very short bikeways.

All of a sudden to find a safe route my travel distance has blown out from a mear 3.5kms to over 7kms. As can be seen I had to double up alot just to stay safe and comfortable.

Now if the first stage of the Northern Bikewy was to be installed this is the result

As you can see the trip distance has increased by a mear 1km to around 4.5kms. This route is far more acceptable to the everyday rider that wishs to get somewhere safely and not to be harassed by impatient drivers.

So what is required to make this route work that is currently under reconstruction (airport link destroyed alot) and construction.

1. open the bowen bridge road Underpass at the RNA and allow cycling through a small section of the RNA grounds.
2. Route cycling through Bowen Park or use some of the RNA ground through to O'connell Terrace
3. Install a refuge island in O'connell Terrace for safer crossing.
4. opening of bikeways currently under construction in the spaghetti bowel that is now ICB/Clem 7/Airport Link interchange. A disgusting scar on the Inner North
5. The construction of the new Path between Federation St and Gennon St that avoids the old path that is prone to submergence during high tides

Now some may look at the route I took and say why did I not just ride along the footpath and keep to riding just the 3.5kms instead. Well first off I have tried this before and it is a terrible idea. Because you are on the foot path you a not much faster then a pedestrian and the 3kms becomes a 30min ride. Honestly without lights I can walk that fast.
Why not use the road others would say. Like I said it is a fast arterial and I have no death wish. While some may ride on it I am NOT a "BATTLE HARDENED LYCRA WARRIOR" and nor should someone expected to be. People want a pleasant journey not to be constantly worrying if the next vehicle to pass will leave enough gap so not to be driven into the gutter.

The fact is for people to ride there needs to be safe corridors into the city. The North currently doesn't have one but the beginnings of one could be opened quite quickly. Inner city suburbs should have easy bicycle access into the CBD something the North is sadly lacking.
The sooner this is built the better as the Inner suburbs is where cycling will take off first and it will then spread out.