Adelaide City Council to revisit plans for new CBD East-West Bikeway

THE location of a controversial bikeway connecting the CBD’s east and west ends could change after Adelaide City Council revealed new information that a “narrow” road could be suitable.

• East-West bikeway route given approval by Adelaide City Council
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• Frome St bikeway creates ‘confusion, conflict

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• City council holds off improving Frome St bikeway, again

Separated bike lanes are again being considered for Pirie and Waymouth streets, 18 months after Adelaide City Council deemed the roads too narrow for the East-West Bikeway project.

The $5.5 million plan to provide cyclists with a safe route between West Tce and East Tce has been in the pipeline since July 2016.

The council had considered Flinders and Franklin streets to be the best option, because they were wide enough to accommodate separated cycling, traffic and parking lanes.

However in a recent update to councillors, staff said Pirie and Waymouth streets could fit a cycling path, but only with a reworked design.

Cr Helen Donovan will ask at next week’s council meeting for concept designs on installing a bikeway on both routes to be considered.

The $5.5 million plan to provide cyclists with a safe route between West Tce and East Tce has been in the pipeline since July 2016.

“By progressing the development of the bikeways network within the CBD, we will be significantly increasing the number of people that ride bikes in, through to and from the CBD,” Cr Donovan said.

The council decided in February to have “one more discussion” about possible routes for the bikeway amid revelations of a potential cost blowout.

The latest move has frustrated some councillors, who wanted the project to get underway.

“I just wish we would get on with it because the contract was signed two years ago … just bloody do it,” Cr Phillip Martin told this week’s committee meeting.

Cr Robert Simms said there needed to be “less workshops and more activity”.

Latest data showed Pirie St was among the most popular routes for cyclists in the city, followed by Pulteney, Frome, King William and Rundle streets.

Adelaide City operations director Beth Davidson-Park said the council had no intention of ripping up the recently widened footpaths on Waymouth St to make way for a bike lane.

Grote and Wakefield streets were also considered for the East-West Bikeway but, in 2017, were deemed unsuitable because of traffic and parking concerns

Work continues on the North-South Bikeway, which has been delayed because of construction of the Adelaidean hotel complex.