RTA halts Valley's cycleway
12 May 10
From South Coast Register http://www.southcoastregister.com.au/news/local/news/general/rta-halts-valleys-cycleway/1827583.aspx?src=rss
BY RUSSELL QUINN
WORK on the final stages of Kangaroo Valley's long-awaited community cycleway has ground to a halt after the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) deemed the project a safety hazard.
After almost a decade of fundraising and community work, the town's only safe route for cyclists has hit a roadblock.
The rejection came just months after the Kangaroo Valley Pathways Action Group was awarded $10,000 by the State Government to complete the remaining section of pathway.
"We've only just received the $10,000 to take the path up to Nugents Creek and now we have to wait for it to be approved by the RTA," said chairman of the Kangaroo Valley Pathways Action Group, Ron Bower.
After a meeting with the RTA last month, Mr Bower was told the current design did not conform to road safety standards because it was too close to the road.
"As the shared path adjoins a state road, the design must meet RTA guidelines and standards," an RTA spokesperson said.
"The RTA has met with members of the community and Shoalhaven City Council to discuss the RTA's safety concerns about the design of the shared path. This is to reduce crashes and casualties and ensure a safe road environment is provided.
"In the vicinity of Jarretts Lane the proposed shared path offers little protection for pedestrians and cyclists."
It was yet another setback for Mr Bower, who has been lobbying to have a safe cycleway installed in the Valley for more than eight years.
"They are concerned that we are building too close to the road but we haven't got any room so I suggested that a path close to road is better than no path at all," he said.
"We are still two metres off the road so it's not as if we're right on the road. I can understand you have safety guidelines but if it won't physically fit, what can you do? It's better than people driving their cars.
"It's quite frustrating because you get a team of volunteers working and they have to stop. All up we've been working on it for about three-and-a-half years but before that we'd been lobbying for about four years. It's a bit disappointing."
Shoalhaven City Council is preparing a new design for the pathway to be submitted to the RTA.