Support a Bike Path on Pyrenees Highway up Mckenzie Hill toward Newstead
- Target:
- Vic Roads and Munt Alexander Shire
- Region:
- Australia
Pyrenees Highway Safer Road Project 2016. The Victorian Government and VicRoads are committed to making our roads safer, as part of this commitment VicRoads will be undertaking safety improvements to a section of the road between Castlemaine and Newstead. "This stretch of highway has a history of runoff road type accidents resulting in serious injury and a fatality"
I see a lot of parents with young kids riding up and down McKenzie Hill, with cars and trucks screaming past them in the 100KM zone. I have experienced the danger of this stretch of road myself and have ceased riding along this road because the gravel is too slippery to ride on and I certainly couldn't trust my child to ride along it to school in the future.
The proposed plans for the works include the installation of wire rope barriers, guard rail and some road sealing of the shoulders and intersections. we would like the project to include the creation of a bike lane along the area that runs from the base of Mckenzie Hill to Newstead. A great proportion of this section of road is unsealed and the slippery gravel makes it impossible for cyclists to ride safely along this way.
Combining the creation of a bike lane into the proposed project will be more cost efficient than if it were to be addressed later down the track. included as part of the Governments commitment to making the road safer.
The Mount Alexander Shire Council Walking and Cycling Strategy 2010-2020 aims ‘to improve and increase walking and cycling in the shire.’ A bike lane between Castlemaine and Newstead would be a significant and positive contribution to the realisation of this strategy. A resultant increase in cycle commuting would also be a positive contribution to the health and environment of Mount Alexander. The increase in cycle commuting as a result of the bike lane will prevent chronic health conditions and reduce the environmental footprint of a growing town. It would also encourage more bike riding and less use of cars for those who were inclined to ride a bicycle to work and town and school etc.
We are intending to present this petition to the Victorian Government and Vic Roads on the 3rd March showing the local interest for this inclusion to the main plan. Would you please circulate to those you think may be interested in supporting this notion.
We, the undersigned, call on the Victorian Government, Vic Roads and the Mount Alexander Shire Council, to create a bike lane along the Pyrenees highway, between Castlemaine and Newstead as part of the “Pyrenees Highway Safer Road Project 2016”.
As Vic Roads will already be undertaking work on that section of the road (as part of the aforementioned project), it is an opportune time to utilise the skills and resources deployed and add another dimension to the project. A bike lane would ensure cyclists are safe when riding on this stretch of road, and would be at less expense than would be incurred if a bike lane was to be created as a separate project.
The Mount Alexander Shire Council Walking and Cycling Strategy 2010-2020 aims ‘to improve and increase walking and cycling in the shire.’ A bike lane between Castlemaine and Newstead would be a significant and positive contribution to the realisation of this strategy. A resultant increase in cycle commuting would also be a positive contribution to the health and environment of Mount Alexander. The increase in cycle commuting as a result of the bike lane will prevent chronic health conditions and reduce the environmental footprint of a growing town.
There has been a large increase in housing from the junction of The Pyrenees Highway and Midland Highway and The Steiner School, especially around the Diamond Gully area, resulting in many people, including children, riding on that section of the Highway, which has minimal shoulder area and is very rough. According to VicRoads and local knowledge “This stretch of highway has a history of runoff road type accidents resulting in serious injury and a fatality”.
It is imperative that a bike lane be created between Castlemaine and Newstead to ensure cyclists can ride safely on the Pyrenees Highway.
All details are for the sole purpose of this petition and will be provided only to the
Victorian Government, VicRoads and the Mount Alexander Shire Council.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Support a Bike Path on Pyrenees Highway up Mckenzie Hill toward Newstead petition to Vic Roads and Munt Alexander Shire was written by Leonie Van Eyk and is in the category Roads & Transport at GoPetition.