Possibly one of the most hostile streets in Dunedin for anyone not in a motor vehicle, yet full of stores that people frequently want to visit (hardware stores, food outlets etc). A classic example of a ‘stroad’, a road that has no clear purpose. Is it predominantly a thoroughfare to travel through to get somewhere else, or a shopping destination street?
Either way, in spite of being three traffic lanes wide in either direction (two transit and one parking lane), a huge median island, and a generous pavement berm, travelling by bike here requires nerves of steel and confidently taking the lane, and incurring the wrath of impatient drivers squeezing past. With no clear pavement priority (countless slip lanes, parking entrances, car yards with cars parked on it), walking here has clearly not been on any planner’s mind either.
Recommendations:
Large-scale (dreaming big): significant road slimming, removal of on-street parking (every business here has ample off-street parking), cycle lanes, continuous height pavements to stress pedestrian priority (dutch style).
Small-scale: cycle lanes as a safety priority, ideally using the existing road width by reducing lanes.
Tena koe nui John for your analysis and suggestions. I totally agree. I live in Musselburgh and when coming from and to work at LPHS always use of course Portsmouth Drive. However I will use Andy Bay about once or twice a week to get home. I always assert myself almost in the middle of the left lane so that cars can’t pass me.
It is definitely used for both as during rush hour time (thorough fare) it as busy as on a weekend when more people probably use it as a destination.
When you talk about cycle lanes - do you mean - separated or painted on? I can see the same concept used as in Portobello Road - which did cause a lot of protest when it was built - especially as it had to be redesigned - but maybe it could be used as a sample? I use that everyday and it is a blessing. It would be great to take your ideas to the next Spokes-DCC meeting!
Kia ora Heike, thanks for your thoughts! I was definitely thinking separated cycle lanes, and yes, I completely agree that Portobello Road would be a great example of a possible style. Portobello Road is so good precisely because it was redesigned and not just poorly retrofitted into the existing design. The pleasure of cycling without inhaling car fumes is a huge attraction.
An additional highlight of bringing it up in a DCC meeting and using Portobello Road as an example is that we can then point out (again) the absurdity of having that great section of cycle path stop at Portsmouth Drive with no safe way to cross!
