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This was published 4 months ago
‘Nice to see some logic’: Speed limit rises on Brisbane bridge where joggers beat bikes
The speed limit on this car-less Brisbane bridge was once so slow, bike and scooter riders broke the law if they moved faster than a person could jog.
But the state government has decided to raise the speed limit on the Kurilpa Bridge, which links South Brisbane with the CBD, from 10km/h to 20km/h, mirroring rules on the Goodwill Bridge.
The Kurilpa Bridge currently has a speed limit of 10km/h, but it will be raised after a safety study.Credit: Felicity Caldwell
Bob* was riding the Kurilpa Bridge on a quiet school holiday morning in September – also, coincidentally, World Car-Free Day – when police fined him $464 for travelling at 26km/h.
Bob, who was unaware of the 10km/h limit, said it was fantastic to hear the limit would be raised, and it was “nice to see some logic applied”.
“It’s a relief to hear the Kurilpa Bridge will reopen to cycling again,” he said.
“Because a speed limit lower than jogging speed on the widest shared path in Brisbane felt akin to a ban.”
Bob said he had since tried to ride 10km/h in similar areas, such as the Goodwill Bridge, and described the experience as absurd.
“Firstly, at such a tiny threshold, you’re forced to look down and check your speed … rather than keeping an eye on what’s ahead.
“Secondly, you actually start to create a hazard yourself as you disrupt the flow as pedestrians are now faster than you and have to essentially walk onto the far right to overtake you.”
A Queensland Transport and Main Roads’ guideline for speed on shared paths says: “a bicycle can become unstable at speeds below 11km/h”.
A spokesman for the Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works department told Brisbane Times changes would begin this month, following an observational study and consultation.
Signs will be updated to reflect the 20km/h speed limit by April 30.
The central three metres of the bridge will be coloured, with “soft segregation” encouraging pedestrians to walk on the outside edges and e-scooter and bike riders in the centre.
The study recommended the speed limit on the Kurilpa Bridge be rescinded, or if it was retained, that it be set at 20km/h to be more consistent with current rider behaviour and the stability of two-wheeled devices that warranted minimum speeds above 10km/h.
The observational study found interactions between bridge users were infrequent, mostly because demand was modest, and it was easy to overtake and give a wide berth.
Over 126 hours of footage across three sites, there were 111 “interactions”, with the vast majority not appearing disconcerting or uncomfortable.
The current 10km/h limit was almost universally disregarded, with 96 per cent of bicycle and scooter riders at the south end travelling above 10km/h, with the median speed 19.6km/h.
The Goodwill Bridge, also 6.5 metres wide, was raised from 10km/h to 20km/h in 2017 after a similar study.
It is about three times busier than the Kurilpa Bridge, which has not recorded any pedestrian or cyclist crashes since it opened in 2009.
The Goodwill Bridge has markings to indicate pedestrians should walk on the outside and cyclists should travel up the inside.Credit: Dan Peled
Space 4 Cycling Brisbane spokesman Chris Cox said the decision was a win for common sense.
“As the observational study showed, while nobody complied with the 10km/h speed limit, bike riders, scooter users and pedestrians are all very good at negotiating space and avoiding conflict,” he said.
Last year, a police spokeswoman said people often thanked officers doing speed enforcement at the two bridges.
“To thank police for undertaking enforcement action and to register their complaints regarding the speed at which some use the shared zone, creating a potential safety hazard,” she said.