The City of Hobart has lodged a development application for separated cycleways on Campbell Street, which were first released by the council back in December 2019 but have been delayed by COVID-19 and funding and design requirements.
The proposed Campbell Street cycleway runs between Brisbane and Davey streets and includes two connecting separated cycleways on Liverpool and Bathurst streets between Campbell and Argyle streets.
Argyle Street will also get a few short sections of separation but the hospital and car park entrances have prevented any infrastructure between Macquarie and Liverpool streets so it won't an All Ages and Abilities route like Campbell Street.
The new cycleways are made possible by on-street parking becoming clearways in peak-hour traffic. Bollards and painted buffers will provide a physical separation between parked cars or moving traffic and the cycleway.
The cycleways are the first step in a plan to encourage less confident riders to move through the city. They have been designed to an All Ages and Abilities standard, rather than the painted lanes typically used elsewhere in Hobart.
Bicycle Network strongly supports the City of Hobart’s moves to introduce the first on-road cycleway in the city but there are a few elements of the plan that could be improved.
Potential improvements
The cycleway runs past the Collins Street intersection where buses frequently turn right across Campbell Street.
Buses often have to turn from the lane next to the right-hand lane, putting people riding in the drivers’ blind spot.
A way to reduce conflict at the intersection would be to transition the cycleway from the road up next to the footpath and create a dedicated crossing point at the pedestrian lights for bikes. Doing this would place riders in a better position for bus drivers and other drivers to see them where there is effectively two lanes of right-turning traffic.
The plans have the Bathurst Street cycleway connector on the northern side of the street, however, most bicycle movements will be right into Campbell Street or across Campbell Street and straight up onto the Rose Garden Bridge.
This means a cycleway connector on the southern side of Bathurst Street may be more intuitive and useful for most riders.
For people riding up Argyle Street there could be a bicycle crossing at the pedestrian lights that connects into a lane on the southern side of Bathurst Street which would mean they don’t have to cross two intersections and potentially two changes of lights to access the Rose Garden Bridge.
Show your support!
People wanting to show their support for Hobart’s first bollard separated cycleway can make a representation before 22 May.
The plans are available for viewing at https://apply.hobartcity.com.au/Pages/XC.Track/SearchApplication.aspx?id=270096 and the page provides a link to make a representation.