The median age of death in the City of Unley in Adelaide is 89, and the local Mayor reckons bikes and trees have a lot to do with it.
A keen cyclist, Mayor Michael Hewittson is no armchair advocate. He rode his bike to a recent ABC Radio Adelaide interview despite the winter chill.
“It takes me about 10 minutes to get here from the Unley shopping centre,” he enthusiastically told his hosts. “You can go anywhere on a bike. It's faster.”
Hewittson has been on council for two decades and, other than extolling the virtues of keeping fit and staying cool, he's been a passionate advocate for leaving the car behind and adopting a more active commute.
Over recent years, he has watched the local Mike Turner Bikeway grow from around 50 users per two-hour count to 257 — well over 100 riders an hour choosing two wheels over four on the popular path.
The bikeway offers a separated connection for riders from the City of Adelaide through to Unley, and the Mayor says the trees alongside the path are as important as the pavers and bitumen.
“We have a green, cool corridor that filters the air and lowers the temperature by at least 10 degrees,” Hewittson said.
“It means on a 37-degree day with trees, it's 27 — you can go for a walk. At 37, you're stuck inside.”
“69% of people would ride a bike if they felt safe,” he says, and they will be able to use the separated network the council is building.”
Recent works on the Mike Turtur Bikeway include upgrades along the busy King William Rd corridor and widening, as well as paving works near Greenhill Road. Short-term access restrictions have been in place while the upgrade works are in progress.