Safe Route for Cyclists Travelling North From Kaiapoi

I was very concerned when I saw plans at the end of the Spokes Core Meeting of Transit's proposals for changes to the Lineside Road Overbridge near Kaiapoi and to the Williams St - Main North Road intersection. Neither proposals are at all cycle friendly.

http://www.transit.govt.nz/planning/lineside-pineacres.jsp has the details.

The Lineside Road Overbridge changes seem to require a cyclists using the proposed cycleway to make at least four crossings of the on or off ramp roads to get from one side of the overbridge to the other. Not a very satisfactory solution.

But even worse is the Williams St - Main North Road intersection north of Kaiapoi - this is the intersection right at the start of the motorway. Here changes would not allow any right turning out of Williams St onto the Main North Road for north travelling traffic. Which may be fine for motorised vehicles wanting to travel north from Kaiapoi who can join the motorway at the Lineside Road overbridge out of Kaiapoi. But cyclist travelling north out of Christchurch cannot use the motorway. They have to ride over the Old Main Road Bridge. The quickest and easiest way then is to go through Kaiapoi and along to the Main North Road and turning right onto the Main North Road at the above mentioned intersection - a quite hairy turn but at least legal at the moment. If this proposal goes ahead this route would be effectively stopped.

The alternative for cyclists if this proposal went ahead would be to ride to Kaiapoi and there head to the Lineside Road overbridge to cross the motorway. Once over they would turn right and follow a rather circumvented route along a series of back roads that eventually brings them out onto the Main North Road near Woodend. This is hardly a practical or fair alternative and would add distance to the commute north.

Not sure what action we can take but note that on 3 News tonight there was a report about the increase in patronage on Auckland buses with a corresponding drop in cars on the road. Transit were being asked questions about the need for motorway expansion if this was the case. Their reply seemed to be to wait a year to see what happens!

http://www.3news.co.nz/News/IncreasingfuelcostsforcesmoreKiwistoswitchto...