A grey pole in the middle of a grey path can be difficult to see when you are riding, it's raining, and the light is starting to fade.
Especially because most people don't expect such an obstacle in the middle of a path designated for riding.
One of our members had a very nasty crash under such conditions, into a pole on the Intercity Cycleway outside the Engineers Building on Davey Street recently.
The City of Hobart quickly moved to fix the problem so other riders aren't caught out.
Reflective tape was affixed to the pole within days of our complaint being received so now it is easier to see in all conditions.
At the same time tape has been put around other obstacles on the edge of the path.
Davey Street cycleway problems
The City could could realign the path around the pole to avoid having an obstacle in the middle of a path, there is land there it would just be a matter of aquiring it from the owners of the Engineers Building.
But that section of the Intercity Cycleway that runs between the Cenotaph and Evans Street has a few other problems, it’s narrow in many places, has a tight blind corner, and crosses a wide driveway with poor on and off ramps.
Early last year, federal member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, secured $80,000 for the City of Hobart to link the Intercity Cycleway to the Macquarie Point path that starts at the Regatta Ground and runs through to Evans Street.
The City has plans and approval for this linking path ready to go, it’s just waiting on approvals from Tasports.
When it’s finished, the path will link from the current end of the cycleway up across the top of the embankment next to the rail corridor where cars currently park, then down and onto the Macquarie Point path.
The car park will remain but it will be reconfigured to make room for the shared path and keep riders out of the way of reversing cars.
If you ride the Macquarie Point path now you’ll notice that there is a right-hand turn off the path that is fenced off. This will eventually be built through to Davey Street, taking riders down to the lights at Evans Street.
When these links are complete the Cycleway should give riders a smoother ride, free of obstacles with the choice of exiting along Davey Street or on to Evans Street and around the waterfront.