Channel Hwy - Kingston & Margate

Kingston

Apr 2008. The Channel Hwy through the Kingston shopping area has been upgraded and council has taken the opportunity to provide for cyclists within the scope of the project. Bike lanes have been included in the design and have now been marked on the road between Summerleas Rd and John St. The design will not only provide designated space for bike riders but it will also calm traffic and improve the area for all road users.

Jun 07. Council has released plans for an upgrade of the Channel Hwy between Summerleas Rd and John St in Kingston. The plans include improved streetscape and traffic calming, as well as a bike lane in both directions on the Channel Hwy. When complete, people on bicycles will have improved access to the Kingston shopping area.

Huntingfield - Kingston bypass

Nov 2011. Green bicycle lanes will be marked on the Huntingfield roundabout to increase motorist's awareness of cyclists using the roundabout. Cyclists are permitted to follow the green lanes around the roundabout and can cross the exits, where there is no green paint. However, cyclists continuing around the roundabout  in the green cycle lane MUST GIVE WAY to any vehicle leaving the roundabout.

Depending on the time of day and traffic volumes the level of difficulty in travelling through the roundabout will vary. The more legs you need to cross, the trickier it gets so consider approaching the roundabout from a direction that minimises the number of exits you will need to cross. For example northbound cyclists may find continuing on the bypass and exiting at Spring Farm Rd or Summerleas Rd preferable to making a right hand turn on the roundabout to reach the Channel Hwy in Kingston. If doing a circuit training ride you might like to consider travelling in a direction that minimises crossing roundabout exits. Alternatively  be prepared to stop at each exit until the coast is clear.

Please note that cyclists turning left should indicate that they are doing so. Cyclists continuing around the roundabout must also indicate they are turning to the right.

July 2011. An aerial overview which shows the plans for the Kingston Bypass (2MB) can be viewed here. The project includes an extension of the Whitewater Creek Path and an underpass at Algona Rd providing a future link for the Coffee Creek Track between Howden and Kingston. See Kingborough Council page for more.

Aug 09. It appears that the recommendations made by KBUG and CyclingSouth have been included. The multi-lane roundabout at Huntingfield will be problematic for cyclists but is difficult to address the issues without replacing the roundabout with signals. Pedestrian and cycling facilities including: o Extension of the pedestrian underpass adjacent to the existing Kingston High School; o Reinstatement of the shared path and footpath on Summerleas Road overpass; o A 3.0 metre wide shared path on the northern side of Spring Farm Road and a 1.5 metre wide footpath on the southern side; o On road cycle lanes at the Algona Road roundabout; o Construction of a pedestrian underpass at Algona Road linking Huntingfield to the greater Kingston township; and o Extension of the Whitewater Creek Recreation trail from Summerleas Road to Spring Farm Road.

Apr 09. At a meeting with DIER, Kingborough Council staff and CyclingSouth the following was agreed on:
- Algona Rd - install underpass where the creek goes under the road approx 200m south of roundabout to provide for movement between Kingston and Huntington. There won't be a grade-separated crossing of Algona Rd at the roundabout but the alternative option is a good one for local cycle movement, particularly as the area develops (probably not so good for those travelling from Hobart to Margate).
- Summerleas Rd - wider roundabout at interchange to allow space for a refuge for the shared path along Summerleas Rd.
- Sealed shoulders on section of Channel Highway between Algona Rd roundabout and Maddocks Rd (where currently there is no sealed shoulder and a guard rail close to the edge of the road).
It was also requested that Kingborough Council staff prepare a concept plan of the roundabout at McDonalds to show the various approaches for bikes (ramps, bike lanes etc) to complete a continuous route between the existing bike lanes on both approaches to the roundabout on Channel Hwy.
Feb 09. The design proposes green bike lanes in the roundabout at the Channel Hwy/Algona Rd/bypass intersection and designated crossing points. See Detail of Algona Rd roundabout on the DIER website (1.4MB PDF)
Feb 09. The design proposes green bike lanes in the roundabout at the Channel Hwy/Algona Rd/bypass intersection and designated crossing points. See on the DIER website (1.4MB PDF)
Cycling groups have a number of concerns with the plans. See below:

 

Algona Rd roundabout - Large multi-lane roundabouts are highly problematic and risky for cyclists in general and traffic signals are preferable. Under the current plans for the bypass there are concerns that in morning peak times it will be virtually impossible for cyclists to access Kingston from the Margate direction using the green bike lanes due to the constant stream of traffic. An alternative will be for cyclists to continue along the bypass and exit at Summerleas Rd. Outside peak times the design may suit experienced adult cyclists but it won't accommodate the needs of students riding to the new school at Huntingfield or accessing the new sports centre.
For southbound cyclists along the Channel Hwy or bypass, the Algona Rd exit will be difficult to cross due to 2 lanes approaching from the bypass and one from the Channel Hwy by the Antartic Division. Cycling groups have been pushing for a grade separated crossing over or under Algona Rd to remove one of the main barriers for human-powered travel between Huntingfield and Kingston. This connection will be especially important when the new school is constructed in Huntingfield. The current plans show a shared pathway but users will have to cross the lanes over Algona Rd.

Summerleas Rd - This will provide an important link over the top of the bypass but traffic volumes are expected to increase significantly between the roundabout at McDonalds and the bypass interchange at Whitewater Crescent. See DIER website for detail of summerleas Rd interchange(1.4MB PDF). Although the project will recontruct the existing shared path along the south side of Summerleas Rd, a new busy road crossing will be introduced. CyclingSouth has requested a pedestrian refuge at the crossing point opposite Whitewater Crescent to split the crossing into two stages.
 
Timeline
Mar 09. Representatives from CyclingSouth, Kingborough Council and K-BUG met with DIER to look at ways that access issues for pedestrians and cyclists in the Huntingfield area can be addressed. Emphasis was placed on a grade separated crossing of Algona Rd. In addition, it was considered prudent to review the Channel Hwy between Summerlease Rd and Algona Rd for improvements for cycling when the traffic shifts to the new bypass.
Jan 09. Kingborough Bicycle Users Group (K-BUG) prepared a submission on the issues with the bypass. To view comments see K-BUG submission.
Dec 08. CyclingSouth, KBUG and Kingborough Council met with DIER to review and discuss the plans for the by-pass. The consensus was that the proposed facilities for cyclists are inadequate for all but experienced riders. Inexperienced riders such as school students should not be expected to cross busy roads such as the slip road or Algona road. Instead there should be underpasses. Facilities at the new  Summerleas road/Whitewater crescent roundabout also appear unacceptable

 

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