The $8million NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) project to develop cycle lanes through central and north Dunedin began in late 2017.
Last year, an average of 113 cyclists per day cycled down Cumberland St.
Two cycle counters show a general increase in cyclists in January on both Great King St and Cumberland St.
This year, the number on average was 136 cyclists per day in January, up from 120 in 2018 and 97 last year.
January figures on the Great King St cycleway have stayed about the same.
NZTA senior project manager Simon Underwood said in January and February of this year there had been an increase compared with previous years, "and the daily count is progressively increasing as the tertiary sector gets under way".
So far this year the busiest day was February 17, when 250 cyclists were counted on Cumberland St.
The most popular section of the SH1 cycle lanes was Cumberland St between the Botanic Garden and Albany St.
"That’s because, from North East Valley, this southbound cycle lane provides the most direct route between North East Valley and the tertiary areas."
Regular cyclist Elisa Maierl noticed a marked difference in her own safety, but not in cyclist numbers in the past year while commuting to work.
"I haven’t noticed many more cyclists on the roads."
She rode to and from work each day on the Cumberland St and Great King St one-way system through the city.
"I was riding my bike before they built the new cycleways and I do definitely notice a positive change.
"I like that I’m separate from cars, I’m not worried about cars hitting me because they can’t go into the cycleways."
She disliked the traffic lights for cyclists.
"I think there is a limited window for bikes and cars, both have to wait a long time. I don’t think either really like it.
Having to get on and off bikes and switch sides of the road was also counterintuitive, Miss Maierl said.
"Overall, though, it’s a lot better."
Mr Underwood said the shape and layout of the new Dunedin Hospital would affect some cycleway planning for the future.
"We will have a better idea about that later this year, when the business case is completed."
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Comments
Outside the tertiary areas the lanes are virtually empty. Has anyone analysed giving 130 bus passes to these cyclists to use on the empty buses versus the cost & inconvenience of the cycle lanes? Because if they did, then the DCC would know it makes no financial sense. But then again the DCC has not been known for rational decision making... Btw, how many cars use Cumberland St on an average day? 10,000 plus, and yet a quarter of the street is taken by cycle lanes. The DCC/NZTA should get their priorities right on vital artery roads! or at least learn some maths and know who pays the bills- your bills. Incompetence at every level.
Apart from being very small changes for the money spent, these are nonsense comparisons. It's hardly surprising that the number of cyclists choosing to use a new separated cycleway would go up (it's astounding, and worrying, that this hasn't happened on Great King St), but if they're just substituting from some other route that doesn't have a cycleway then there's no overall increase in cycling travel. In other words, a lot of money spent to achieve precisely nothing.
I would be interested to see if the number of pedestrians has decreased at the same time?!
Why wasn't consideration given to reducing the width of footpaths and sharing that extra space with cyclists?....I have often noted, the complete lack of pedestrians on the state highway between the Leviathan Hotel and Frederick Street. Even more so southbound from Frederick street to the Oval.
It appears the ultimate goal of this was not to welcome cyclists to this city, but to inconvenience Dunedin motorists so much, that they simply gave up and biked, or caught a bus!
The numbers are a bit tangled, but I think they are saying rider numbers dropped from 2018 to 2019 and have now bounced back to be about 13 per day over 2018 but no change on Great King St. So a multi million spend for 13 rides per day.
Can the ODT tell us what growth the original business plan estimated?
I drove 'gasp' yes drove the length of these cycle lanes the other day and counted two, yes two cyclists.
In regards to these 'counters', one wonders how many cyclists rode past them twice.
Bad enough the council spend money on cycling but now they're spending it on recycling too. Grrrrr