Vibrance set to brighten cycleway
The Vibrance Festival is set to beautify the Intercity Cycleway between Moonah and MONA to create COMA: the Corridor of Modern Art, along with the Glenorchy City Council.
Vibrance has held festivals in Hobart that have transformed disused wall space into public art that brightens the city and creates points of interest for tourists. The idea behind COMA is to do the same for the cycleway.
The expression of interest for artists is open now and closes on 8 March, but no mention yet of when we are likely to see the first artworks appear: https://vibrancefestival.com/coma-opportunity/
KBAC appeals for full width Channel Highway reseal
The Department of State Growth will be resurfacing the Channel Highway in Taroona between the schools and Baringa Road from Tuesday 9 February until Wednesday 17 February.
The work will happen between 6.30 pm and 6 am and involve lane closures.
The Kingborough Bicycle Advisory Committee has successfully requested the Department resurface the full width of the roadway and not just the vehicle travel lanes.
There was a concern from committee members that partway resurfacing may result in a poorer outcome for bike riders, with the Taroona shoulders already being a suboptimal riding experience.
North Hobart answers still being sought
The City of Hobart is asking for more public feedback on what it should do in the North Hobart shopping strip, following the release of extensive consultant reports last year.
The online survey asks what the council should do in the short-term about parking and active transport access and and support for development of a long-term plan.
The consultants' reports brought a lot of information together but didn't recommend specific actions to improve bicycle access - read what we wrote at the time of the reports' release.
George Town MTB trailhead DA lodged
George Town Council has lodged a development application for the first trailhead at Mount George Road as part of its new mountain bike network.
It would include 10–20 car parking bays and a bus bay built on an old quarry site.
If you are interested in following the progress of the MTB network, check out the dedicated website the council has set up.
Tasmanian Government coughs up for rail insurance
The Tasmanian Government has agreed to subsidise the insurance costs of community heritage rail groups for several years in a move which should finally determine which groups are viable and which aren’t.
Some rail groups have complained that high insurance costs are what’s stopping them from getting on the rails.
Bicycle Network has said in the past that if heritage rail groups can’t make a go of the full length of disused corridors then they should be converted to rail trails for everyone to enjoy. This is what is happening in the north-east and could happen in the Derwent Valley, with the potential for part of the corridor being rail and part being rail trail.
The government’s $600,000 grant to the Tasmanian Association of Tourist Railways will cover 90% of insurance costs in the first year, declining each year for seven years until it is contributing 10% of costs in the final year.
New Norfolk & kunanyi rides
Two big rides are being organised in the south of the state with the Kunanyi Challenge on Sunday 28 February and the Freedom Ride out of New Norfolk on Saturday 27 March.
The Hobart Wheelers are organising the time trail race to the top of kunanyi/Mt Wellington or The Springs, leaving 7am from the Longley pub and taking Huon Rd to the Summit Rd which will be closed from Pillinger Drive. More information at http://www.hobartwheelers.com.au/event/mt-wellington-challenge-21/
Pathways Tasmania are organising the fund-raising Freedom Ride which has three options: 20 km, 42.2 km and 100 km. Register at https://www.freedomride.org.au/