A safe shared path should be central to the proposed Algona Road works and not shoved off to some future time, Bicycle Network’s Tasmanian spokesperson Alison Hetherington said today.
“It’s not clear in the proposals that have been put out for public comment this week whether the marked “future path” linking Kingston to Huntingfield will be built as part of the $60 million project,” Ms Hetherington said.
It beggars belief that in a $60 million roadworks project one of the central elements is not a safe shared path to help kids get to school and sport, or their parents get to work and bus stops.
“It would be a false economy to say that a shared path can’t be afforded in this project.
“By making it even more difficult to cross on foot or bike between Kingston and Huntingfield the government would potentially push more people into cars and make traffic problems worse.
“We want to see a cycling and walking underpass or overpass built when the ground is being dug up to put in the new roundabout and slip lanes.
“Ensuring people don’t have to cross busy slip lanes will future-proof riding and walking in the area for years to come.
“Many local trips are just a few kilometres, which should easily be made by bicycle or scooter, but are made more difficult when people have to cross the busy highways that dissect the greater Kingston area.
“The Huon Highway has underpasses to help people walking and riding, and the same access should be implemented for this upgrade.
“We know when governments build more road lanes it encourages more car trips, but if they build safe, separated cycling and walking links at the same time it gives more people more transport choices,” Ms Hetherington said.