Only one flight of the forty-one Gipps St steps, which are to be replaced with a ramp are pictured. For many Abbotrigines, they are the starting point for any trip on the main Yarra bike path away from the city. No doubt many trips to the Collingwood Children’s Farm or the Abbotsford Convent, or Dight’s Falls which would otherwise be made along the safety of the trail are not made because of the stairs.
Having just spent a few days in Amsterdam, I con confirm the truth of the descriptions of the place in this treatment of the announcement in The Age. There are multistorey bike parks like Melbourne car parks there. The dedicated bike lanes means no one has to wear helmets. There are many bicycles designed for carrying substantial loads, what one might call bike utes, and kids ride regularly in their wheelbarrow like trays.
How the replacement of the stps can possibly cost $1.5 million is something I would be very interested to know. Another fascinating question is how it could have been considered a good idea for the teachers’ union’s Mary Bluett and the Police Union’s Paul Mullett to come out with the public criticism that the money could be better put towards (gosh what could it be?), yep, teachers, and police. Links:Bicycle Victoria: Yarra City Council – Yarra Trail behind CUB brewery
YarraBUG (bicycle users’ group) leaflet
1.5million does seem absolutely EXTRAORDINARILY expensive doesn’t it. $100,000 you could possibly imagine… surely all they have to do is break up the steps and take them away, dig out a bit of the hill, lay down some asphelt and put up a railing or two?
An overpass near my house did take nearly a year to build though… impressively they managed to build the bridge while keeping the road flowing 100% at all times. It was a major arterial.