We have just heard that there are plans to install cycle lanes on Carlton Gore Road, Newmarket by early next year.
Calton Gore Road, as many will know, is one of the widest single-lane streets in Auckland – acres of space for cycle lanes. We and the Waitemata Local Board have asked for a long time for something to be done here.
It seems now that the long delays in what seemed to be a simple improvements were due to more stormwater / sewer works planned for the next months. At the end of these works, cycle lanes will be installed from George Street to Davis Crescent.
The flea in the soup? The western third, from George Street to Park Road, will not be changed at this stage, as far as we know. Cycle lanes in this area (which is ~ 2m narrower and also has cars queue in double line from the lights during peak hours) would require either road widening, car park removal or forcing drivers not to queue in two lanes. So CAA is already expecting a long fight to get this route completed.
But it’s a start. With cycle lanes in at the eastern two-thirds, the lack of cycle facilities in the western part will be all the more glaring. If the motorway lobby can argue for completing their network, we certainly can do the same thing.
[Small update: We checked the property boundary, and at least the western part of the road RESERVE – if not the road carriageway – is just as wide as the eastern part. So at least, if AT decides they do need to do road widening (sigh) to get cycle lanes all the way, they won’t have to go into the Auckland Domain, which would be a real PR hassle / legal difficulty].
