Bikeway proposed for Flinders St and Franklin St in Adelaide may affect outdoor dining, traders say

TRADERS along Flinders and Franklin St fear the newly proposed city East-West bikeway will damage their businesses with reduced car parks and outdoor dining.

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TRADERS along Flinders and Franklin St fear the proposed East-West bikeway will damage their businesses when parking and outdoor dining areas are reduced under the project.

A total of $5.5 million has been allocated for the design and construction of a bikeway between Dequetteville Tce and West Tce.

However the route — which mirrors the new design for the Frome St bikeway — will make all angled parking parallel and is likely to affect on-street dining areas.

Luigi's Delicatessen owner Luigi Di Costanzo at his Flinders St business. Picture: AAP/ROY VANDERVEGT

Luigi’s Delicatessen owner Luigi Di Costanzo said he “will do everything I can to try and stop this” because outdoor dining at his Flinders St eatery is his livelihood.

Due to its small interior, he says 90 per cent of customers dine on the footpath, which city council built for him more than a year ago.

“The very people that built the protuberance for me are looking to take it away,” he said. “It would effectively kill my business.”

The East-West bikeway is intended to encourage more city cyclists.

Mr Di Costanzo supports safer riding in Adelaide and has even installed bike racks near his cafe to attract cyclists. “But I don’t believe that we should sacrifice business owners up and down Flinders and Franklin, and kill off business in a vibrant street just for the sake of a 2.5m width bike lane on both sides of the street where there’s already an existing bike lane working”.

City councillor Alex Antic said there were dozens of people concerned about the project.

“The council’s track record with separated bikeways such as Frome St would do little to give businesses, property owners and residents comfort to suggest that the East-West route would be a success.

“A different way to provide safe cycling in the city needs to be found.”

PeopleForBikes president Tim Blumenthal on the Frome St Bikeway. Picture: Dean Martin

Cycling participation in South Australia has dropped by 20 per cent in the past six years, prompting Bike SA to this week call for new bike friendly infrastructure.

Councillor Anne Moran said council had multiplied the infrastructure over the past four years and yet there were less cyclists on the road.

The East-West bikeway is jointly funded by the city council and State Government. But Ms Moran said she will advocate for the money to be spent upgrading the existing bike network - such as bike signals at traffic lights.

Lord Mayor Martin Haese said although the Frome St “mark one” did not win the hearts and minds of South Australians, he said those concerned about the East-West corridor to assess it when Frome St “mark two” streetscape is soon unveiled.

“Please do not feel that you’re going to have concrete blocks laden on your street like Frome St mark one,” he said.

A consultation team will meet with business owners.