Parramatta river cycle way

[Cycling Wombat]

Not sure why they have the pedestrian path kind of open but not. I go out for a run and I don't know which path I'm supposed to use

[Retrobyte]

The old shared path that is now the separated bike path was closed during the day today for 200m around the section that has the temporary carpet over the muddy section. As I rode past this afternoon on the detour along the new pedestrian path I could see that the former shared path has been cut in order to install a culvert drain under the path, so hopefully that's the drainage improvement that will make a big difference

[Cycling Wombat]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-13/ ... /103460052

This would be good if they can finally link up Parramatta River and SOP to the Cooks River cycleway and get rid of the annoying section crossing Parra Rd and going up Bridge Rd etc

[g-boaf]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-13/ ... /103460052

This would be good if they can finally link up Parramatta River and SOP to the Cooks River cycleway and get rid of the annoying section crossing Parra Rd and going up Bridge Rd etc

Won't happen. More pretty pictures and talk from my local council.

The extension of the existing cycleway along the old water canal running from Prospect to Guildford over to Chester Hill was mooted for years and years and all that exists so far are water pipes and nothing more along with plenty of talk. And gobbling up our rate payments at a ferocious amount.

Same council also proposes a massive upgrade to that canal cycleway with walking track and widened cycling path. It was apparently endorsed, now out for another round of consultation so people can object to and changes or even demand it becomes pedestrian only.

[zebee]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-13/ ... /103460052

This would be good if they can finally link up Parramatta River and SOP to the Cooks River cycleway and get rid of the annoying section crossing Parra Rd and going up Bridge Rd etc

But how? You have to go over or under or across Parra Rd, the M4 and the railway.

The Powell's Creek path is good but just stops at Parra Rd. Getting up to the CRP from where it stops requires up to the lights at Knight then some way to cross the railway line near Homebush station. The underpass at subway lane is too small to fit any kind of bike path. Then you have to climb up the Crescent.

About all they could do is remove the parking along The Crescent to make a bike lane (good luck with that), use the ped path on the bridge over the railway, work out how the hell to get across the roundabout then shared path down to the lights, bicycle light on the lights over Parra to legitimise everyone riding across, then over the M4 and down to Powell Creek. While they are at it, they could sort the bridge over the M4 so that there is not the large risk of rider coming off the bridge hitting rider turning on the the bridge.

Making Crescent/bridge/Bridge Road work for both directions would be fun. Either some kind of safe pass off the ped section of the bridge to a lane on the south side of the Crescent or a two way lane on the north side and some way to get off that and across to Alrey park. I don't think there's enough room for a bike lane in the car lane section of the bridge over the railway so if you want separated paths have to use the ped space and getting on and off that going south then west is difficult.

What does annoy me is when they re-did the footpath from the bridge to Parra Rd they made massive lips on the driveways so to get on the footpath you have to be just about right angles.

I suppose there could be something going all the way to Flemington station and the mess of a ped crossing there, but either a hell of a detour or somehow get through paady's markets. And you know I'd rather ride in traffic along bridge rd and over the railway than faff about with that mess at Flemington.


Zebee

[Retrobyte]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-13/ ... /103460052

This would be good if they can finally link up Parramatta River and SOP to the Cooks River cycleway and get rid of the annoying section crossing Parra Rd and going up Bridge Rd etc

But how? You have to go over or under or across Parra Rd, the M4 and the railway.

The info on the proposal shows the old rail spur line bridge near what used to be the Ford factory being used to cross Parra Rd. So the final missing link from Parra/SOP to the Cooks River path is a relatively short section from Lidcombe to Hudson Park. Let's hope they look at that

[zebee]

The info on the proposal shows the old rail spur line bridge near what used to be the Ford factory being used to cross Parra Rd. So the final missing link from Parra/SOP to the Cooks River path is a relatively short section from Lidcombe to Hudson Park. Let's hope they look at that

Umm... Lidcombe is not the Cook's River path.

YOu have to either go through Rookwood which is closed at times and you are not "supposed" to use it as a through route even on 2 wheels. If it is closed you have to do Arthur St which is not all that bicycle friendly. Plus that mess over the railway line near the station. They don't seem to know what to do about crossing the railway line even though they mention Rookwood.

[zebee]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-13/ ... /103460052

This would be good if they can finally link up Parramatta River and SOP to the Cooks River cycleway and get rid of the annoying section crossing Parra Rd and going up Bridge Rd etc

The bit over Bridge Rd is OK. it's what you do past that. Coming from the wetlands to get to the bridge over the M4 you either cross Pomeroy at the new zebra crossing then go up Pomeroy with its pinch point near the roundabout, or you ride illegally up the footpath on the North side and cross across Pomeroy then cross Underwood. Making that footpath a shared path would be something. Else get rid of the pinch point and make a bicyle lane on the South side going uphill.

[Retrobyte]

The info on the proposal shows the old rail spur line bridge near what used to be the Ford factory being used to cross Parra Rd. So the final missing link from Parra/SOP to the Cooks River path is a relatively short section from Lidcombe to Hudson Park. Let's hope they look at that

Umm... Lidcombe is not the Cook's River path.

YOu have to either go through Rookwood which is closed at times and you are not "supposed" to use it as a through route even on 2 wheels. If it is closed you have to do Arthur St which is not all that bicycle friendly. Plus that mess over the railway line near the station. They don't seem to know what to do about crossing the railway line even though they mention Rookwood.

Yes, I know - so it is an opportunity that is still a missing link. This is the problem we have in Sydney where adjoining Councils can't seem to get together to join bike path projects, which is why we have all these missing links between pieces of good bike infrastructure.

[g-boaf]

The info on the proposal shows the old rail spur line bridge near what used to be the Ford factory being used to cross Parra Rd. So the final missing link from Parra/SOP to the Cooks River path is a relatively short section from Lidcombe to Hudson Park. Let's hope they look at that

Umm... Lidcombe is not the Cook's River path.

YOu have to either go through Rookwood which is closed at times and you are not "supposed" to use it as a through route even on 2 wheels. If it is closed you have to do Arthur St which is not all that bicycle friendly. Plus that mess over the railway line near the station. They don't seem to know what to do about crossing the railway line even though they mention Rookwood.

Yes, I know - so it is an opportunity that is still a missing link. This is the problem we have in Sydney where adjoining Councils can't seem to get together to join bike path projects, which is why we have all these missing links between pieces of good bike infrastructure.

Nooo! If you fix the missing links, there will be too many of those nuisance people on bicycles, can't have that. They might be able to ride somewhere useful, and besides, shouldn't they only ever ride to the corner shop?

[zebee]

Nooo! If you fix the missing links, there will be too many of those nuisance people on bicycles, can't have that. They might be able to ride somewhere useful, and besides, shouldn't they only ever ride to the corner shop?

Today my corner shop was the Woolies at Marrickville Metro. It's usually Coles at Rhodes but I also wanted to check something else in Marrickville.

Damn cyclists, no sense of space.

[Retrobyte]

The work at George Kendall Park is still causing issues with drainage, and mud pooling on the path. And peds still don't understand what the brand new separated pedestrian path is for - they would rather walk on the bike path, presumably because the bike path is wider

[Cycling Wombat]

They have that fence half across the pedestrian path. People won't use it till that fence is gone. I wouldn't complain till then, just continue to share it. That whole section is in need of a tidy up. Actually the whole river trail is in need of a tidy up, so many sections are becoming overgrown by the plants alongside.

[Retrobyte]

They have that fence half across the pedestrian path. People won't use it till that fence is gone.

I think the rope fence is to prevent people walking on the dirt/grass section between the paths, but yes it is all still a work in progress. Will be a huge improvement when completed, assuming they nail the drainage issues of course

[Cycling Wombat]

Am I naive in thinking all they needed to do was ensure a gentle slope down towards the river from park across the path and have the path cambered down? I guess part of the problem is they didn't re-do the whole path.

They've resurfaced the whole park but left the little dips for water to accumulate. Would still have the issue of the dirt washing across but that would lessen once the grass grows.

Also looks like they've continued the trend of putting park furniture right on the edge of the paths instead of allowing a safe metre or so of space between where people sit and where they walk/ride.

[Nath1991]

Hi guys and gals.

So I've started cycling again for fitness, live in South-West Sydney near Campbelltown. Last week completed my first ever 100km ride from where I live out to the City and down to Wolli Creek. Went via the Parramatta River cycleway which I had never ridden before, and found to be excellent. Well worth the journey via the Glenfield - Parramatta railtrail.

However, having not been in the area for a significant amount of time, once the trail ends at Morrison Bay Park, got a bit lost trying to navigate my way to the Gladesville Bridge. Eventually after several wrong turns and long steep hills, including getting lost in the old asylum and riding around the Gladesville Bridge, I found my way onto the bridge itself.

Is there a relatively direct route from the end of Morrison Bay park to the Bridge? Or is it easier just to follow Victoria Road at that point? For those who don't ride the area regularly I don't think it's that well signed or posted, and the entrance to the bridge itself is somewhat deceiving, especially if there are cars parked on the side. There's no big obvious signs that say "entrance to gladesville bridge".

Is this an issue others have faced? Or am I just inexperienced to the area?

[LateStarter]

The first & last 10kms of this route covers that route, including opportunities for getting lost in Gladsville Hospital and around the Bridge. Its an old route pre some bits of the Parramatta River Cycleway especially around Parramatta and would stick closer to the river these days
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21598406

PS and would stay off the M4 which used to be more bike friendly

[g-boaf]

Has it flooded yet?

[Retrobyte]

Hi guys and gals.

So I've started cycling again for fitness, live in South-West Sydney near Campbelltown. Last week completed my first ever 100km ride from where I live out to the City and down to Wolli Creek. Went via the Parramatta River cycleway which I had never ridden before, and found to be excellent. Well worth the journey via the Glenfield - Parramatta railtrail.

However, having not been in the area for a significant amount of time, once the trail ends at Morrison Bay Park, got a bit lost trying to navigate my way to the Gladesville Bridge. Eventually after several wrong turns and long steep hills, including getting lost in the old asylum and riding around the Gladesville Bridge, I found my way onto the bridge itself.

Is there a relatively direct route from the end of Morrison Bay park to the Bridge? Or is it easier just to follow Victoria Road at that point? For those who don't ride the area regularly I don't think it's that well signed or posted, and the entrance to the bridge itself is somewhat deceiving, especially if there are cars parked on the side. There's no big obvious signs that say "entrance to gladesville bridge".

Is this an issue others have faced? Or am I just inexperienced to the area?

Unfortunately it's the same old problem where Councils don't work together to join cycling infrastructure - they don't have a broader view about what happens outside their LGA. The route LateStarter posted above works, and I think that's the best option there is if you are tring to get from Putney to the Gladesville Bridge while avoiding Victoria Rd

[Cycling Wombat]

Has it flooded yet?

Saw a photo in the news that it's flooded at Parra wharf. Didn't look too bad though

[g-boaf]

Hi guys and gals.

So I've started cycling again for fitness, live in South-West Sydney near Campbelltown. Last week completed my first ever 100km ride from where I live out to the City and down to Wolli Creek. Went via the Parramatta River cycleway which I had never ridden before, and found to be excellent. Well worth the journey via the Glenfield - Parramatta railtrail.

However, having not been in the area for a significant amount of time, once the trail ends at Morrison Bay Park, got a bit lost trying to navigate my way to the Gladesville Bridge. Eventually after several wrong turns and long steep hills, including getting lost in the old asylum and riding around the Gladesville Bridge, I found my way onto the bridge itself.

Is there a relatively direct route from the end of Morrison Bay park to the Bridge? Or is it easier just to follow Victoria Road at that point? For those who don't ride the area regularly I don't think it's that well signed or posted, and the entrance to the bridge itself is somewhat deceiving, especially if there are cars parked on the side. There's no big obvious signs that say "entrance to gladesville bridge".

Is this an issue others have faced? Or am I just inexperienced to the area?

Unfortunately it's the same old problem where Councils don't work together to join cycling infrastructure - they don't have a broader view about what happens outside their LGA. The route LateStarter posted above works, and I think that's the best option there is if you are tring to get from Putney to the Gladesville Bridge while avoiding Victoria Rd

Why should they join infrastructure? That would only serve to promote cycling and we can’t have that, right…

[DojoBuff]

Rode through here this morning.

On the north side heading west, the cycleway is closed at the Macarthur Street bridge. The road in Parramatta Park is also closed, but I think this is just to stop vehicles accessing the Ross Street Weir, which is also closed off and currently underwater. I had no problems cycling around the park. The Buttons and Noller bridges appear accessible.

On the south side, the cycleway between the Olympic Park ferry wharf and the first security gate is closed due to construction of those apartment buildings. No doubt this will be for quite a while. Detour via the Louise Sauvage Pathway.

[Retrobyte]

Only a couple of very small patches of mud on the new George Kendall separated path section today, which was surprising given the massive amount of rain on Friday. There has been some remedial work done to the drainage recently so it looks like this has worked really well - not a puddle to be seen.

[Cycling Wombat]

How long before someone stacks it into the drain?

[Retrobyte]

^^^
You'd need to be really inattentive to end up in the drain. If everyone uses the separated paths as they are supposed to, there shouldn't be any interactions between cyclists and dog walkers, joggers etc that might cause someone to take evasive action to the point where they end up in the drain