The Frome Street Bikeway, the city’s only fully separated bike lane designed to enable bike riders of all abilities to ride more safely in Adelaide’s CBD, will officially open tomorrow, Wednesday 14 May.
The bikeway will connect some of the city’s key destinations including the universities, the East-End shopping and entertainment precinct, the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Box Factory, Himeji Garden, Park Lands Trail, the Rugby Street and Porter Street BikeDirect Route to/from the City of Unley and future connections to Mitcham Shopping Centre.
Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood said that the bikeway is part of an integrated approach to transport.
“It’s about providing space in our city for all modes of transport to co-exist. If we only allocate space for cars, other forms of transport will be squeezed out, which limits people’s choices about how they get around.
“Currently there are 29 traffic lanes in the city to accommodate north-south traffic and zero bike lanes to safely accommodate north-south cyclists. The Frome Street Bikeway will alter this to 27 vehicle lanes and two dedicated bike lanes.
“There are about 4,000 trips by cyclists on our north-south streets daily and the bikeway will give them a safer, more pleasant ride, while encouraging those who would like to ride but have safety concerns to give it a go.
“Safer bike lanes enable people to move about the city in a cost effective, healthy way that is often quicker than driving for those short trips. Given that South Australia has one of the highest levels of obesity in the country, getting more people on their bikes will have future health and economic benefits, and will contribute to Adelaide being a cosmopolitan, liveable city.”
There are about 700 trips by bike along Frome Street between Pirie Street and North Terrace daily. It is anticipated that in the first two years following completion of the bikeway that the number of cyclists will increase by 50 per cent.
The draft 2014/15 Annual Business Plan and Budget has allocated budget to continue the design and consultation of the Frome Street Bikeway between Pirie Street and North Terrace, as well as the design and consultation of Frome Road linking it to North Adelaide. Sign up to the Smart Move Adelaide newsletter at smartmoveadelaide.com.au to be kept up to date.
The Frome Street Bikeway will officially open on Wednesday 14 May with a community breakfast trail from 7.30am – 9am. People are encouraged to come along, ride the bikeway and collect something to eat and drink along the way. To find out more, visit http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/whats-on/event/frome-street-bikeway-breakfast.
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