Woden Interchange Opens — Bike Facilities Show Promise, but Issues Remain

Jeff Ibbotson | Murrumbidgee Advocate Coordinator

The new bus interchange in Woden opened for business this week. Pedal Power Advocacy Team members were given a preview last week. Overall, it is a pretty impressive design, making for smooth bus travel through it, especially for the Rapid 4 & 5 buses, which travel straight in one end and out the other.

The paths on the east and west edges look wide enough for people on foot and on bikes.

Cycling access is good from:

• the west via the CIT undercroft and Matilda St cycleway

• the north, the C4 path and Canberra College

• the northeast, Hughes and Eddison Park.

Access from the Hospital and Garran and from the south on the C4 is a bit clunky, via the wooden bridge in Arabanoo Park and over the C4.  Access from the south via Callum St looks tricky.

There are two very modern secure bike cages with room for 45 bikes each, complete with surveillance cameras, power points to charge e-bikes, and a work post with tools and air. There are mostly vertical hanging racks. Each cage has only three hoops for heavier e-bikes and long cargo bikes, hardly enough. Retrofitting will be needed for more hoops for more e-bikes. Pedal Power did ask for one cage on each side of the interchange, but this was pretty bluntly turned down.

The major problem is access to the cages. You need an old MyWay card to get in. After 14 months of MyWay+, none of the bike cages around town will open with MyWay+ cards. Pedal Power raised this issue early on, but we still don’t know when it will be fixed.

This is how you can get access to any of Canberra's bike cages: email mywayplus@act.gov.au your:

• name

• contact number

• postal address and

• preferred bike cage location.

You should receive a new card that will grant you access within 10  business days.

See https://www.transport.act.gov.au/travel-options/walking-and-cycling/cycling#Park

If you’d rather put your bike on the bus and take it with you, be aware that it’s a bit hit and miss on the R4 & R5 routes at the moment. In short, many buses on this route don’t have bike racks. Pedal Power is taking this and other bike/bus issues to Transport Canberra, so watch this space, and don’t rely on an R4 or R5 bus having a bike rack.

Pedal Power ACT acknowledges the support of Fiona Carrick MLA, Independent Member for Murrumbidgee, in seeking to expedite access to the bike cages for MyWay+ card holders. Some of the photos here are from her office.