Drivers report congestion on Frome Rd after lane swapped for bike path

Cyclists are loving the extra room, but motorists say it is the main cause behind traffic build-up heading out of the city. Have your say in our poll.

Lawyer Ryan Caldwell next to the newly-opened North-South Bikeway extension, part of a $12m project connecting the inner north and south. Picture: Keryn Stevens

A new bike path in Adelaide’s CBD has been criticised by motorists for eliminating an entire lane for traffic and reportedly causing bottlenecks during peak hour.

The final touches on the $12m North-South Bikeway along Frome Rd are underway, with about 600m of new lane opening last month between Rundle St and Victoria Dr.

Cyclists have praised the extra room, but some commuters are frustrated that the road has dropped to one lane heading outbound, and from North Terrace going citybound.

Adelaide City Council said data showed cycling trips jumped 130 per cent since 2022 along the major thoroughfare connecting Adelaide’s inner north and south.

Traffic backed up on Frome Rd, between North Tce and Victoria Dr, at 5.30pm on Friday, January 17. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith previously said she wanted 10,000 more people cycling to work in the city every day by 2035.

City worker Dimi Athen, 64, said losing a lane was noticeable during peak hour, and that roads should not be sacrificed for cycling paths.

She believed younger people may take up the Lord Mayor’s challenge, but the elderly and those travelling greater distances tended to drive or use public transport.

“You can have bike lanes going through parks and to the beaches, but the city just isn’t built for it,” Ms Athen said.

“You can already see more congestion with 88 O’Connell [a North Adelaide apartment / retail project] and the new apartments on Prospect Rd, and when they start building Southwark [the new inner-city suburb], the roads are going to get a lot busier.”

Friends Marco Furlan and Dimi Athen in front of the new bike lane on Frome Rd, which has eliminated an extra lane for cars. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Last Friday between 8.05am to 9.05am, The Advertiser counted 721 motorists and 118 cyclists pass through Frome Rd at the University of Adelaide.

Between 5.05pm at 5.35pm the same day, there were 338 cars and 26 bicycles.

Marco Furlan, 57, believed Adelaide was different to the cycling-friendly Scandinavian countries because of hillier terrain and greater distances travelled for work.

“I love riding my bike … but I think this is a classic Adelaide kneejerk reaction at the expense of the many,” Mr Furlan said.

University of Adelaide staff member Ben, 48, said his commute was 10 minutes longer in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon, for only a seven kilometre drive home.

“Either reinstate the two lanes or put in a dedicated turning lane – pedestrians need to also be able to cross the road safely,” he said

Adelaide City Council city infrastructure director Tom McCready said council “acknowledge(d) community feedback regarding traffic congestion … particularly during peak periods”.

“The current congestion is partly due to ongoing works, including the installation of induction loops and modifications to traffic signal phasing at intersections, that once completed will greatly assist in traffic movement,” he said.

“These enhancements are designed to improve traffic flow and are scheduled for completion by early to mid-February.

“Post-completion, both (council) and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport will actively monitor traffic patterns and make necessary adjustments to optimise outcomes for all road users.”

Meanwhile, lawyer and cyclist Ryan Caldwell, 28, said congestion would improve if more people rode to work, while the additional space between cars and bikes offered him peace of mind.

“I drive as well, so I understand people’s frustrations, but if it’s something that encourages people to ride more, that’s a good thing,” Mr Caldwell said.

UniSA academic Noah d’Unienville, 28, rides to work three times a week and believed the dedicated lane made motorists more conscious of sharing the road.

The North-South Bikeway on Frome Rd has been causing increased congestion along the North Tce to Rundle St, according to some motorists. Picture: Karen Grace Prince

Bike Adelaide chair and Adelaide Deputy Mayor David Elliott said the Bikeway encouraged cyclists into the CBD’s shopping and education precincts, while the city ring route offered quicker transit for motorists anyway.

Mr Elliott added “the idea we’ve gone bike-mad is just incorrect” and boosting cycling infrastructure had been a council strategy since the mid-1990s.

“Peak time is always going to be congested in the CBD, and if you’re driving around that time, it’s something you have to expect on any busy street,” he said.

Construction on the Bikeway began in 2017 and will be fully completed in February, with equal funding from council and state government.

Adelaide City Council voted down separate plans for an East-West Bikeway in 2021 after businesses spoke up about the loss of parking spaces should it go ahead.

Council also rejected a similarly contentious proposal in August to widen the footpath and cycling lane on Hutt St, while also cutting speed limit from 50 to 30km/h.

Plans were presented by the infrastructure and public works committee, but elected members including the Lord Mayor were concerned that slashing car parks would hurt retail trade.

Originally published as Drivers report congestion on Frome Rd after lane swapped for bike path