Bike Bridge Debacle
16 February, 2009
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Bike Bridge Debacle
Helen Abrahams, Councillor for The Gabba Ward, calls for immediate action to make safe the new pedestrian bike bridge over the South East Freeway.
The bridge is 3 metres wide and appears to be designed for pedestrians, cyclists and people in wheelchairs. However, the eastern end of the Bridge has a set of four stairs to Church Avenue, Woolloongabba and a narrow pathway for wheelchairs and prams.
“The stairs are where the pathway bends and so they are not seen until you are upon them. It would be very difficult to see them at night’ said Cr Abrahams.
There is an extensive ramp to accommodate cyclists on the western side near Harrogate Street.
“This makes the stairs even more of a safety hazard as cyclists would expect the same standard of pathway at both ends of a new bridge” said Helen
Local residents have told me that initially the North South Bypass Tunnel project constructed a ramp to Church Avenue. Then the ramp was jack hammered out and the stairs put in.
“To make matters worse, a cyclist must dismount sign was erected on both ends of the bridge. One sign points in the wrong direction and the other sign seems meaningless as a wide pathway is provided’ said Helen Abrahams.
“Clearly, the landing of the bridge was not given sufficient consideration of the safety of cyclists in the first place” said Cr Abrahams
The bridge replaces the old bridge removed as part of the North South Bypass Tunnel project. .
“I call on the Lord Mayor to make this bridge safe for cyclists, pedestrians and wheelchairs as a matter of urgency” said Cr Abrahams.
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