Cairns Bicycle User Group
The Secretary See the sea bug
Lenore Evans
Ph 4054 1756
17 Gordon St, Earlville, Cairns 4870
Email lenore@cairnsbug.org
Internet http://www.cairnsbug.org CBUG
27th January 2004
Chief Executive Officer Attention: Debbie Wellington
Cairns City Council
Spence St
Cairns 4870
Dear Debbie,
CAIRNS PLAN
Subject: ROAD HIERARCHY - BICYCLE TRANSPORT SCHEDULE
Overview:
The Cairns Plan is a directional tool for achieving a vision for Cairns. Bicycle Transport is part
of that vision which will provide travel options for people to move in, around and through our
local government area. Bicycles by law are vehicles so therefore would be included in any
reference to vehicles in the Cairns Plan.
Because bicycles can be ridden on the road and on paths, specific reference needs to be made to
cyclists in both of these areas. Cyclists and pedestrians are referred to in the Infrastructure Works
Code 4.8.5. Cyclists also need to be included in this code which refers to vehicles on the roads.
The road hierarchy maps show the network for the movement of vehicles. These roads form the
major commuter routes for cyclists. This code should refer to a schedule that will achieve best
practice for cyclists on the roads and is of the utmost importance in providing the bicycle transport
network for the people of Cairns.
Just as there is a schedule for the number of parking spaces required for motor vehicles and
bicycles, so too there should be a schedule for bicycle facilities required on the road hierarchy.
Because Cairns is a growing city, delivering safe and efficient bicycle transport will depend on
the planning, funding and construction of roads, bridges and intersections of the road hierarchy.
Main Roads has achieved a high standard of bicycle facilities on state controlled roads completing
all on-road projects in the Cairns Bikeway Strategy except for the shoulder sealing of the Redlynch
Intake Rd. It is desirable that local roads continue this standard into the road hierarchy network
with the provision of on-road bicycle lanes on sub-arterial and collector roads.
Road Hierarchy - Bicycle Transport Schedule:
Type of Road Facility Maintenance
| State Controlled Roads | on-road bicycle lanes
road shoulders |
sweep monthly - reseal in road projects |
| Sub-Arterial Roads | on-road bicycle lanes
road shoulders |
sweep monthly - reseal in road projects |
| Collector Roads | on-road bicycle lanes
road shoulders car parking lanes |
sweep 2 monthly - reseal in road projects |
| Access Street | car parking lanes | sweep 3 monthly - reseal in road projects |
| Rural Major Road | on-road bicycle lanes
road shoulders |
sweep 4 monthly - reseal in road projects |
References:
1. On-Road Bicycle Lanes: Bicycle lanes are part of the road. Widths are 1.5 m at 60 kmh
and 2 m at 80 kmh. Motor vehicles must not stop in or drive along bicycle lanes but may
cross them to access property and turn left.
2. Road Shoulders: Road shoulders serve the same function for cyclists as bicycle lanes and
the widths are the same. Road shoulders are a road related area. Cyclists can travel along
the road shoulder but motorists cannot travel along the road shoulder.
3. Road Bridges: All bridges should provide continuity of the bicycle lane or road shoulder.
Where only car parking space exists, an on-road bicycle lane on the bridge is also
required.
4. Intersections and Roundabouts: Approach bicycle lanes are designed to achieve straight
ahead bicycle travel and to ensure bicycle space within the intersection and roundabout.
5. Car Parking Lanes: Even though car parking lanes are not a bicycle facility, this sealed
road related area, provides space for bicycle travel where no cars are parked. There are
some roads that are wide enough to provide sealed car parking spaces and bicycle lanes.
6. Bicycle Push Buttons: All signalised intersections should provide "bicycle push buttons"
so that cyclists can activate the "green" signal from the bicycle lane at the minor road.
7. Railway Level Crossing: All railway level crossing should include 2 m road shoulders.
8. Road Maintenance: All road resealing projects should include the on-road bicycle lane
or the road shoulder for 1.5 m at 60 kmh and 2 m at 80 kmh.
9. Road Sweeping: All roads, intersections and bridges should be swept according to the
bicycle transport schedule.
Signed: Lenore Evans
Secretary, Cairns Bicycle User Group