How off-road biking can be good around the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge

There are lots of roadworks around Commonwealth Avenue, the Bridge and the City at the moment.

Even better, the access routes are frequently changing.

Fortunately, many of the route changes include helpful wayfinding signage, letting people know exactly where to go. The signs effectively say, “If you want to get to here, turn this way at this junction.”

There are enough of these signs at every junction around the Acton waterfront at the moment to help everyone find their way with confidence.

A huge thank you to the team who had the foresight to guide people through the maze!

How to Use Shared Off-Road Routes Safely

When you ride a bike on the road, road traffic rules apply.

When you use an off-road shared path, shared-path guidelines apply.

These guidelines follow the instinctive way people avoid bumping into each other when moving through a crowd.

We look ahead and avoid people who might collide with us by moving slightly left or right, or by adjusting our speed.

If you are overtaking someone, you go around them.

If someone is overtaking you, you don't get in their way.

If things aren't working smoothly, you slow down and make some noise to attract attention.

Signs explaining these guidelines are posted on many of Canberra's major shared paths, but they're often too small to read while riding past. That is probably why many bike riders don't know they exist.

It's a good thing that the guidelines reflect what people instinctively do when moving through a crowded space.

It's also a good thing that the building contractors have installed BIG signs at complex intersections, reminding bike riders to do exactly the same thing.

A Specific Challenge

The southbound bike and pedestrian path on Commonwealth Avenue Bridge currently has three approach routes from the city, while there is only one northbound approach.

The three southbound routes are:

• The lakeside ramp

• The footpath alongside Commonwealth Avenue

• The on-road bike lane that joins the shared path via a slip lane at the northern end of the bridge

Bike riders travelling northbound towards the city need to watch for traffic approaching from all three directions and adjust accordingly.

At the moment, almost all southbound bike traffic is using the lakeside ramp, so it can be easy to forget the occasional rider approaching from the on-road bike lane.

Case Study

Early one morning recently, while it was still dark, a northbound rider heading towards the city either narrowly avoided, or may have collided with, a southbound rider moving from the on-road bike lane onto the bridge path.

The riders were travelling in opposite directions and did not see each other with enough time to be certain they could avoid a collision.

This three-to-one intersection increases the risk of riders converging without noticing each other soon enough to react safely.

Unless you are confident you have checked every approach route, it is best to slow down and give yourself enough time to assess the intersection properly.

A few seconds of caution can make all the difference.