Cyclists’ rumbles of discontent

The NZ Transport Agency is disregarding aspects of its own guidelines in the way it is placing new rumble strips along road edges in Otago and other regions.

Lakes District cyclists have expressed concerns the rumble strips are making cycling more dangerous, and at its meeting this week, the Central Otago Wakatipu Cycle Club decided to change its road racing routes because of the new strips.

President Ed Taylor accepted the rumble strips made driving safer for motorists "but travelling down a hill at 60-70kmh, if I hit those rumble strips, I will be off."

"I am concerned a cyclist is going to be the fall guy in this."

The guidelines stipulate two places for rumble strips — either 1 metre or more from the edge of the seal, or where that is not possible because the road is too narrow, "hard against the edge" of the seal.

The strips measured by the Otago Daily Times in the Wanaka region have been between 200mm and 600mm from the seal edge.

System manager for the agency Graeme Hall, in a statement to the Otago Daily Times this week, said to place the strips 1m from the edge of the seal would be "impractical" on many of New Zealand’s rural roads.

"Many of these roads are very narrow."

And, he said, to apply the one metre measure prescriptively "would mean not putting in rumble strips on the majority of these roads, and losing the significant safety benefits this would give us."

The guidelines also stipulate local cyclists be consulted.

Mr Hall said instead of consulting local cycling groups four "independent cycling advisers" were consulted.

"These advisers are cycling experts, and give our project team advice and guidance on how we can best recognise the needs of cyclists when putting in safety improvements like rumble strips."

The agency has yet to disclose who they are.

The guidelines were last updated in 2010 and are under review.

Asked why the review had not been carried out before the rumble strips were put in place, agency director of safety Harry Wilson said: "Delaying this work in order to update guidelines would mean delaying the significant safety benefits that these improvements will give us.

"We have advised the Cycling Action Network, a national network of cycling advocates, about the plans to update guidelines."

Mr Wilson also said the safety of cyclists was given significant consideration.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

 

Rumble strips

An excerpt from NZ Transport Agency guidelines for rumble strips ("audio tactile profiled line markings" or ATPs)

"Shoulder widths clear of ATP edge lines must be a minimum of 1.0 metres to provide for cyclists — this requirement may only be contravened if all cycling interests in the area have been consulted, and agreement is reached with them;

"On very narrow roads without shoulders, but where ATP edge lines would provide significant safety benefits, they may be placed hard against the edge of seal where cyclists are unlikely to ride.

"As above, all cycling interests in the area must be consulted and agreement reached with them."

Source: NZTA Miscellaneous Pavement Markings, February 2010.