The Norwood – Magill Bikeway connecting Magill in the east, with Adelaide’s central business district, will improve cyclist safety and build higher levels of cycling participation as an environmentally friendly, healthy alternative to vehicle travel, according to Norwood Payneham and St Peters Council,
South Australia.
Offering an alternative to cycling on busy Magill Road or The Parade, Beulah Road has become a bicycle boulevard with works completed in October 2020.
The Beulah Road Bicycle Boulevard Project received the Hard Won Victory Award in 2016 and a commendation from the Minister for Planning, in the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) South Australia Awards for Planning Excellence, for its innovative design and safety features.
The PIA Award judging panel acknowledged Council’s significant achievement in balancing the provision of infrastructure to calm traffic, improve safety and accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians, whilst ensuring continued access for motorists.
The project involved the construction of nine raised platforms, four roundabouts and four entry statements, with approximately 200 plants and 35 trees planted at the entry statements, on roundabout islands and throughout the platform garden beds using Water Sensitive Urban Design, providing tree canopy coverage once the plants and trees are fully established.
Sharrows have been painted in the centre of the lanes to indicate the safest area for cyclists.
These markings are relatively new to South Australia but have been widely used to improve cyclist safety in cycle-friendly cities around the world. They:
- assist cyclists to position themselves away from parked cars to reduce the chance of being hit by an opening door of a parked vehicle
- alert motorists of the lateral position on the road that cyclists are likely to occupy, and
- raise motorist awareness that they are driving on a bikeway, and so are required to share the road.
Stage 2 of the Beulah Road Bicycle Boulevard Project is about to commence.
These works will include a paved central plaza with wider cyclist and pedestrian paths, public artwork commemorating Norwood cycling icon Nino Solari, new seating, additional landscaping and
a bike repair station.
