For those who commute east west through the city plans for Kilmore Street need your submissions.

https://ccc.govt.nz/the-council/consultations-and-submissions/haveyoursay/show/113                                 Closes 21.3.18

This is Spokes take:

The Accessible City Plan does a very poor job of providing safe cycling infrastructure for commuter cyclists. Kilmore Street should do the best job possible to make up for this. Please amend this plan.

The shared path at 5m width is appreciated. The cycle lanes at 1.8m width are inadequate, especially as they shrink to 1.4m at loading zones and 1.3m at bus stops. Taking at least 0.2m from the shared path provides commuter cyclists with the room to pass safely and goes a bit to future proof this cycle route. If the desired outcome of more people cycling is achieved many interested but concerned cyclists will graduate to commuters and they will need the room. Alternatively some people will zoom along on the shared path placing people at risk. Council can plan for this and needs to do so. The cheapest and easiest approach is to provide adequate infrastructure from the outset.

The 1.4m width at loading zones is likely to result in disruption and injury. Loading operations often have vehicles intruding into the cycle lane along with people moving goods also intruding. From the illustration it appears that the only loading zone is in front of the Town Hall near Colombo and intrudes into the shared path. Pedestrians, cyclists on the shared path and on the road are all placed at risk. This really is not good enough.

Two options to improve usability and safety are obvious. 1. Remove the loading zone and use the drive in front of the Town Hall as the loading zone. Council may wish to limit the hours of use. 2. Shift the shared path a bit south into what appears to be open space in front of the Town Hall. This can allow retention of the paths width and provide safer cycling.