Occassionally, I need to go to the AKL CBD. I try to avoid it mostly. It’s just too, you know…not friendly enough. It’s improved alot recently. I grant you that. But it could be a whole lot better.
But that’s not the worst of it. The last time I went to town directly from work in Mangere was an exercise in frustration. This journey takes me via Onehunga, Maungakiekie, Newmarket, Grafton. In terms of distance I would rate it as a ‘no sweat’ and about a 50 minute relaxing cycle ride in my office attire. The amble through One Tree Hill Domain is always very pleasant. The slow jaunt across a pedestrian filled Grafton Bridge is fun. The new small section of cycle lane on part of the uphill of Onehunga Mall is reasonably useful. But that’s where the love ends.
Manukau Road was diabolical. For most of the way, the 2 lanes heading towards Newmarket were completely static. What was I to do? Ride along the footpath into the incoming EGGS students? I opted in the end to freewheel carefully down the flush median. (Those wide white painted lines down the middle of arterial roads).
This experience reminds me why I gave up using the bus. I just hated sitting on a bus in a traffic jam. Where is the sense in that. Trains seem a better bet. They get priority. And I can put a bike on a train.
Which brings me back to the Easy Transport Auckland goals.
“Room for everyone and everyone moving”. Makes perfect sense to me.
Motorists holding up cyclists by travelling 2 abreast.
Far from perfect solution but at least it's free of motorists (usually)
What's that German word that describes the feeling of satisfaction one has when cruising by cars stuck in a traffic jam?
How did we get ourselves into this mess? Cycling along the median strip was the only option.
cycling/freedom
The painted median is wasted space. We can use that for bike lanes. Of course motorists would have to live with not being able to turn wherever they want, and learn to (egads, i know) make a formal u-turn at an intersection.
"Schadenfreude" is the one you're after…
you'll still have to pay for the bike on trains…
Scheiße works as well
The removal of right hand turns into and out of arterial roads is what is required. This is a familiar strategy used in European cities that are serious about providing solutions to congestion. This strategy is quite new to NZ but I know that the Dom Rd plans include it. There is still some convincing to be done. A better sales job is required. Unfortunately the council has only done part of the job. Great transport plan but poorly sold to the local community. That's why we get the typical 'Save Com Rd' type campaigns. Save Dom Rd from what you might ask?