Hobart City Council looks set to move forward with plans to install new cycle lanes on a busy stretch of Collins Street, despite concerns from some businesses and residents.
At their meeting next Monday, councillors will vote on a proposal to implement tactical bicycle infrastructure and streetscape improvements in the CBD from Molle Street to Murray Street.
If approved, the bike lanes will be installed for a two-year trial period, with progress reports scheduled for one month, three months and 12 months after implementation.
“This project will be the first of its kind in a Tasmanian City CBD,” council documents read.
“Tactical delivery of bicycle infrastructure has been implemented in many Australian cities, particularly following the 2019 COVID epidemic and resulting opportunities for changing travel behaviour and use of city space.”
According to a report, the tactical approach involves creating dedicated cycle lanes and a shared zone between Harrington and Victoria streets, where cyclists will merge with traffic.
The initial plan to remove around 59 on-street parking bays has been revised, with the council now proposing to eliminate 49 spaces instead.
Plans to make Victoria Street two-ways from the Centrepoint carpark have been scrapped due to safety impacts, while loading zones will be prioritised over general parking across all street blocks.
Traffic surveys found that one of the main causes of delays on Collins Street is turning vehicles waiting for pedestrians crossing at traffic lights.
The report acknowledges that the proposed bike lane could potentially worsen these delays, particularly during peak hours, as turning vehicles giving way to pedestrians may block through traffic.
“During off-peak conditions … the delay across the length of Collins Street only increases in the order of two to seven seconds, indicating that for the majority of the day the proposed bikeway design has a negligible impact on the performance of general traffic,” the report reads.
According to the council, the project has received support from organisations like the RACT, Metro Tasmania, Bicycle Network, the Tasmanian Small Business Council and the Hobart Chamber of Commerce.
Just nine formal written submissions and 44 emails were received during the engagement period, of which 22 were supportive, 18 were against and 4 neutral.
As reported by Pulse in July, almost $300,000 for more new bike lanes in Hobart was handed to the city council by the state government.
This included $170,000 for the Collins Street cycle lane, $50,000 for planning Augusta Road bike lanes and $70,000 for upgrades to the Castray Esplanade shared path.
A final report will be presented to the council after two years, outlining the outcomes of the trial and any necessary modifications.
