Back in 2018 I wrote a response to the public exhibition of the NSW gov's proposed F6 extension. Basically an urban freeway tunnel linking the new #Westconnex interchange at St Peters to President Ave in #Kogarah.
My feedback was that we should be leaning away from urban motorways as a transport solution towards higher capacity and more healthy/environmental friendly modes.
More specifically though, I was interested in the #ActiveTransport plan that was a part of the proposal.
Southern Sydney has been home to an enormous green space that was set aside for the F6 in the 50's. Since this plan was putting the road mostly underground, it made sense to officially convert the reservation into parklands and an active transport corridor.
The plan was to do that, but where there was no reservation simply route the bike path into winding, disparate suburban back streets. Effectively making the path cute for Sunday strolls but useless for commuting. The reason for this was that providing a proper RoW would require acquiring 3 (by my count) houses. For context, the M4 East component of Westconnex acquired hundreds of houses!
This week I stumbled across more detailed plans for the project, now known as the M6 (F stood for freeway and it ain't going to be free) and I am stoked to see the pathways look like they'll be awesome and direct enough to be useful! Hooray!
Link to blog: https://jedsetter.com/submission-to-the-f6-stage-1-eis/
@jedsetter It's still rather more recreation than transport focused. Good thing it's open for comment now. Bay St crossing particularly needs details.
@Transportist @jedsetter I was leaving a comment on the map, but it's quite holistic (design goals of directness, 30km/hr speeds, avoiding discontinuity vs design with multiple 'dismount' pedestrian crossings) so might change to a submission.
@Transportist @jedsetter Do WalkSydney comment on cycling plans? I don't have strong opinions on the walking part of the design. The walking problem in that area, as I see it, is making east-west walking to the stations/town centres and the beachside more attractive, and these north-south paths will be largely recreational and seem well enough designed for that purpose.
@Transportist @jedsetter Ah yes I see. Almost 200m additional walk. Yes happy to do one on behalf of WalkSydney. Do I draft it and send it to them/you?
@Transportist @jroper Anyone got a link to the latest active transport plan detail? I've found a lot of links to the 2018 EIS plan and also a few links that go nowhere...
@Transportist @jroper Found it. active transport is kind of spread over chapters 4, 9 and appendix B...
@Transportist Thanks, got it.
@Transportist Woops yep that date came up in a hurry. Will flesh it out today.
I will make a personal submission.
A couple of points re: walking issues that might be relevant to a walksydney submission:
- the bridge design puts pedestrian lane on the outside, desire line will mean they realistically walk up the inside lane. Similarly the outside will be better for bikes descending, so they will likely drift into the pedestrian lane. I'm guessing the lane choice relates to some other part of the project but it isn't great here.
- Several intersections are missing a pedestrian link. Pres Ave/Hwy and Pres Ave/O'Connell. Admittedly they're missing now but they should really be installed. Particularly at the hwy. Lots of apartment residents use this crossing to access the station.
- The turn radius at Civic Ave looks unnecessarily high, making it a long crossing.
- Where is the detail on these 'formalised connections'. These will make or break the project IMHO. I.e. how the paths integrate into the streetscape. Particularly at busy streets like Bestic and Chuter.
- Southern end needs more connections! Marshall and Barton both have desire line 'bush tracks' that should be formalised. Why doesn't the whole thing extend further south through the F6 res to Ramsgate beach shops and Production Ave area.
Agree with Josephine, the East/West links are the issue here for pedestrians. I'm amused by the artists impression of the ped bridge teeming with commuters! WHere are they all going!?!
