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Doyle's backflip
Melbourne Lord Mayor has changed his tune on Swanston Street, and is now advocating a pedestrian friendly strip borrowing from recent work on New Yor’s Broadway and Times Square. New buddy, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is sending him “some material” about it.
Danish city renovator Jan Gehl has been hired to look at it. “I met with Jan and he is coming to Melbourne to help us as well, to have a look at Swanston St.”
But… what about the bikes? They are still in I think – according to Bicycle Victoria, bike-friendly four versions of bike-friendly OPTION 6 are on the table.
This great tune change was perhaps egged on by a bit of community consultation . Here is Lord Mayor Doyle a year ago :
“It’s not as if Swanston Street is some sort of European townsquare pedestrian nirvana. It’s a failed experiment.”
“I am sick of being run down by cyclists again and again.” He said then that they should use Russell Street instead of Swanston.
Posted by Peter on 24.12.09 in urban design
comment
what about the cabs….???
by cabbie on 24/12/09 ·#
They will have to idle elsewhere. Maybe Geelong.
by peter on 24/12/09 ·#
ok-im a cyclist(oh no….the devil incarnate…yeh I am but hey..)
I like riding down swanston st. but I myself get run
down by other cylists for being too slow(!).ok-check this-swanston st has
a)trams
b)other cross roads
c)peds
d)some motor traffic
ok-im not advocating all cyclists slow down to
a sub speed-but Swanston st will never be suitable spot
to burn you’re latest single speed lighting bolt
or sub carbon frame cadel evans super racer.
there are places in melbourne were you can go all
out-ie down(and up!!) the johnston st hill from kew
(just watch out for those boulevard exitors but after that..)-or whitehorse road-watch the trams
capitol trail thru parkville-interesting ride
under bolte freeway!
the kew boulevard itself.awesome-just watch some of the corrugations you road racers-bad for wheels..
burnley boulevard.nice.no probs.diverge and check
out a few of those robyn boyd specials.also
brutalist houses up top of the brutal hill.
going up swanston st.fun.no brakes required
nicholson st has its moments-just when it gets to the city-well-um
so-swanston st-stupid to go fast down.fun to hang back
and check out the sites.(tng building,manchester
unity building,story hall, etc.
by frewheeling spud on 09/02/10 ·#
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