Real or imagined?
The number of people riding bicycles in Auckland is increasing. True. You only have to look with your own eyes to see it. It’s useful to ‘cheerlead’ for cycling. Being positive has a value. But there should also be a time and place for hard nosed analysis without leaving one vulnerable to the perception of being labeled as a party pooper. There should be no fear in asking the question: How is cycling in Auckland really doing?
The current state of cycling in Auckland and the corresponding high dependency on motor vehicles should be of real concern. To deny there is a lack of significant progress is not helpful and will stifle any chances of making improvements. It’s a situation that deserves rigourous analysis and scientific study. Acknowledgement and analysis of the real issues that are holding cycling back will in turn allow for strategic and systematic progress to be made to advance the collective aim of growing the numbers of people choosing to cycle.
No amount of positivity will make this reality and this reality go away. It is only possible to move from the current +/- 1% modal share if a vision of a cycle culture speaks to the hearts, minds and wallets of a greater proportion of the population. It will be very obvious when the goal of 5% of all trips undertaken by bicycle is achieved. In the meanwhile, requesting physical infrastructure is only a very small part of the puzzle. Is Triangle Road shaping up to be the next Lake Rd?
Cycling. It’s as easy as walking, but faster…
I had presumed Cycle Action Auckland was feeding this kind of information to the Council. Don't they have boffins and traffic-engineers in their ranks?
On a related point a couple of cycle-counting "plinths" like in Copenhagen wouldn't go amiss.
I live next to Triangle road and I don't really know Lake Road. If Triangle road shapes up to be like Lake Road, is that a good thing or a bad thing…yes this is a serious (although maybe ignorant) question:)
Antoine, of COURSE Cycle Action Auckland is feeding such concerns back to Council. Every meeting we have with them, every project we do!
I personally am working on about 15 things "at the same time", from making sure the Waterview cycleway will be a success, to getting the roundabout at the new end of SH16 fixed, to improving Tamaki Drive to seeing that the cut-back Dominion Road works at least do the best they can for cycling. We have also been adding our voices to calling for improvement at Triangle Road and Ngahue Drive. We are working with the Auckland Waterfront CCO on new cycleways through Wynyward Quarter… I could go on for a lot longer.
But there's only one game in town. CAA can't BUILD cycleways, we need Auckland Transport's (and NZTA's) cooperation. Often we do, sometimes we don't. And when they do want to help, they often don't have the money (back to the politicians…)
I have called Auckland's situation for cycling "three steps forward, two steps back".
"On a related point a couple of cycle-counting "plinths" like in Copenhagen wouldn't go amiss."
Antoine – we suggested that as an idea for the Auckland Waterfront people.
"I live next to Triangle road and I don't really know Lake Road. If Triangle road shapes up to be like Lake Road, is that a good thing or a bad thing…yes this is a serious (although maybe ignorant) question:)"
I am not sure whether the comparison is apt (and not sure what Antoine was leading at?). Lake Road is Takapuna / Devonport's main arterial road, with a significant amount of cyclists too. They added cycle lanes to a part of the road some years back, which then led some – frankly, totally ignorant – locals to argue that the cycle lanes were causing congestion, and should be ripped out again (the real thing they wanted was four-laning the road!).
It was a long fight, won only because Cycle Action, many locals, and some courageous Council staffers and North Shore Council politicians stuck to their guns (and because NZTA said "if you want the cycle lanes back out, give us back the subsidy money we paid you to install them!") and managed to prove that a) the cycle lanes are well-loved and useful and b) didn't actually cause any congestion (proven by, for example, car travel times and bus travel times measured before and after).
In the ends, the lanes were kept after a hard fight, and have since even been extended to cover about maybe 80% of the Takapuna-Devonport route. There's some gaps remaining, but we hope to close those in the coming years. Incrementalism successfully at work.
So in the end, Lake Road was a real success story, but a big fight which involved the odd bit of bitterness on both sides. I don't think Triangle Road is really comparable. The problem there, as far as I am aware, could be fixed (relatively) easily with a good off-road path, or separated cycle lane (i.e. one with a kerb between the traffic and the cyclist).
Thanks. Considering we had nothing before I thought they had done a pretty resonable job with Triangle road, not perfect but not too bad either. They did yellow line the entire road from parking and provide parking bays instead. A fair bit of work. Once the improvments to the bike lane on the nor western happen we will have a bike lane all the way to the city. Thats a easy commute to the city from a fair way out in the burbs.
Either way things are alot better now and getting better than they ever used to be.
@BG check out this extensive post for the Triangle Road issue —> http://cyclingauckland.co.nz/front/2011/03/triangle-road-cycle-lane/
As Max said, the problem could be fixed with a physical barrier near the intersection with Lincoln Road. I suspect it won't happen due to funding, but on the flip side, I'd be keen to know the cost.
It may be worth doing some private fundraising. Are concerned deep pocketed private citizens allowed to donate to specific public infrastructure projects (Max will know)? I'd love to be able to use this cycle lane. Going around it adds about 15 minutes to my commute. I'd happily donate some $$$ towards this cause.
@Alan – we had a horrible experience with the old Auckland City Council some 2 years back, where the Tindall Foundation tried to donate money for bicycle parking racks around the city.
From memory, the process got so complicated and unhelpful (and the bike racks so expensive per rack, from all the add-on costs), that the idea didn't end up going anywhere.
I'd be similarly worried that any such attempt at Triangle Road would also be not worth the effort.
However, contrary to you, I DO believe this (barriers between road and cycle lane, or an off-road path suitable for commuters) WILL be funded. What I cannot judge is whether we will get it in 3 months (new financial year has just started, so not a bad time), or whether it will take us 3 years! The costs would be pretty low in that location, I would expect, as there is space.
Oh, and thanks Jim for the message that the lanes have helped – good to know, hate to have them seen mainly for their issues, rather than their strengths.
Auckland Council is obviously a very reluctant participant in the cycling renaissance. Imagine the progress if it was supportive. Every project has to fought for in a trench warfare scenario. There is alot the Council could be doing other than building significant pieces of infrastructure if it truly supported cycling. Auckland lacks a cycling heart. That's the message I take from this.
Mark – what is the message you take from this? We were mainly discussing two former Councils (Auckland City under Banks and NSCC under Andrew Williams). We have a new Council now, and while officialdom and politicians still remain a challenge*, the situation has much improved.
*They probably are a challenge even in Copenhagen, noting some of the recent posts on the "Copenhagenize" blog…
I know the point of this post was to take a good look at whether or not we REALLY are making progress. And the result for me is: YES, we definitely are. But turning a supertanker around takes a lot of time. And if there ever was a big ship, then it is Auckland.
Mark, it may seem like trench warfare, but I think trying to get anything done through council is trench warfare really, so I'm not sure it is just to do with cycling. To hear and read of the Mayor discussing cycling, walking and PT, I think we probably have a more supportive council than ever.
Alas, as those involved will know, councils are just full of red tape by design…