From Boroondara BUG

Minor Works required in Boroondara

BBUG

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It's the little things in life that make a difference:

There are many places where some minor works would result in a good improvement. Click on the map markers below to see what is required at each location. Most of the markers show pictures at ground level.

Do you pay rates in Boroondara? Like to get you moneys worth? If you agree that these points need improving then let your council know. Make sure you include a link to this page in your email.

Email the council now -->

Pin the tail on the donkey: try reporting any problems or hazards you know of in Boroondara here. If you have a problem with something outside of Boroondara have a look at this VicHPV - clickable complaints map.

If you have any ideas, from the minor to the grandiose, on how cycling or cycling facilities in Boroondara can be improved, then please let us know -->

Minor problems all found in Boroondara

Cyclists have to negotiate the chicane, avoid gaps between the bluestone blocks and then dodge busy traffic. Fixed in 2008.	Pram ramp badly needed. Garbage bins sit here ready for collection once a week. Fixed in 2010.	40 kph sign blocks view of traffic. Note car emerging from under sign. Fixed in 2009.	Why force cyclists to compete with cars at chicanes - install paths by the curb.
Scrubbed out surface next to pedestrian lights change button. Fixed in 2010.	No signs - path to the right is an important link	Bollard obstacle course at both ends of a lane

Minor problems found on the Gardiners Creek Trail in Stonnington

The council border between Boroondara and Stonnington is determined solely by the creek line except between a point just north of Peace St and Dunlop St in the south, which encloses Dorothy Laver Reserve West but not the East Malvern Tennis courts.

As the Gardiner Creek trail crosses back and forth between Boroondara and Stonnington, we would like to see co-operation between the two councils on Gardiner Creek trail issues.

Pram ramp alignment fails to match path. All traffic now uses only one side of the bollard inviting collisions. Ramp was rebuilt in late 2007 without consideration for its function. Mad worse in 2009.

Signs are meant to be seen. This one is hidden. Has BV's letter of 2003 been noted? Or SCC's Bicycle Strategy? Still waiting 2011.

Improve path alignment at bridge. Fixed in 2009.

Signs waiting to be installed, 14 Jan 2008 - Stonnington CC. Has BV's letter of 2003 been noted? Or SCC's Bicycle Strategy? Still waiting 2011.

Notes for traffic engineers

We acknowledge that our traffic engineers are highly skilled, however we would like to reiterate what's needed, so that the general public also has an understanding of some of the issues cyclists face.

Toolkits:

• First of all, get on a bike and try out the on and off road paths yourself. ie perform a saddle survey
• The Australian Bicycle Council provides detailed information on cycle route construction including detailed checklists.
• More detailed information from Australian Bicycle Council
• VicRoads also provides detailed information on bicycle facility design standards.
• Detailed signage design used throughout Perth
• Good example of a state run cycling system: WA
• Get a copy of Guide to Traffice Engineering Practice Bicycles Part 14 Austroads Standards Australia
• Read about practical ideas used elsewhere: Collection of Cycle Concepts, yr 2000, Road Directorate, Denmark - 7 mB download

Obstacles:

• bollards are dangerous - particularly at night
• when bollards have been removed (for whatever reason) then their mounts, if not flush with the ground, can be dangerous
• chicanes on roads. Why force cyclists to compete with cars. Provide a cycle path parallel to the curb that bypasses the chicane
• chicanes on trails, if used at all, should be set well back from the road. It is difficult to concentrate on negotiating a chicane and then immediately thereafter, have to determine if it is safe to cross the road as well.
• vegetation should be arranged so that sitelines are not obscured

Surface:

• bicycles don't go round 90 degree corners well. Alignments need to be linear or curved. Anything that impedes balance reduces directional control. That helps no one.
• slots created by the planks on board walks, cementing together bluestone blocks or metal drainage grids are dangerous
• protruding bolt heads on boardwalks are dangerous
• metal plates eg Solway bridge are slippery and dangerous when wet
• wombats used as raised pedestrian crossings on shared paths are highly desirable
• bluestone traffic calmers should have smooth bitumen sections on either side where bikes can pass. This in general applies to all traffic calming devices
• desire lines are indicative of what is required of a path
• pram ramps are good. Concentrating on surface hazards eg kerbs, distracts from crossing a road safely.
• if a trail is busy then white lines down the middle are good
• sudden bumps eg from tree roots or potholes are dangerous

Signs:

• people like to know where they are - signs are good - in many cases just a white line is all that is needed
• signs should not obscure anything else that needs to be seen eg cars
• shared paths need their own signs actually on the shared path itself, as opposed to signs on roads that just point to shared paths

Traffic lights:

• if local traffic conditions allow it, then traffic lights should be set to change immediately when requested. Unnecessarily slow lights tempt people to make poor decisions about their own safety
• traffic lights - the area immediately around the pole that holds the "lights change button" should be concreted. The ground surface here is subjected to bike wheels and potholes form.
• the button to activate the pedestrian lights should be to the left of the path, so that both pedestrians and cyclists are encouraged to keep to the left, not forced to move to the right and into the path of those coming in the opposite direction

Bike friendly outcomes

Standout kerb cut out - City of Yarra	Edges of pram ramp aligned with path angle - City of Whitehorse	Bike and pedestrian only paths - Attadale, Perth, WA	Bike protected chicane on road - Swan River, Perth, WA
Speed hump ground down flat especially for bikes - Swan River, Perth, WA	Pretty good attempt at signage - still needs some improvement - Swan River, Perth, WA. Signage design	Pretty good attempt at signage - still needs improvement - Swan River, Perth, WA	Straightforward sign - City of Boroondara
Straightforward sign - Moonee Ponds Creek Trail	It's a sign - signs are good