Thursday, November 20, 2008

Poll Results: What annoys you most about the new EastLink Trail?

Okay, my first poll has now closed. Let's check the results: 
  • Steep route through the Mullum Mullum Valley
  • The missing footbridges
  • Inconsistent signage
  • Lack of upgrades to connecting trails
  • Use of the existing railway station footbridge at Yarraman
  • Lack of drinking fountains
  • Not enough user/visitor information about the trail
  • Not upgrading the section between Carrum and Dandenong South
It is clearly evident that the issue bugging most riders are the missing footbridges. At the present moment, cyclists have to crossing using traffic lights at busy major roads including Maroondah Highway, Canterbury Road, Burwood Highway, High Street Road, Railway Parade and Cheltenham Road. Maroondah and Burwood are the worst as pedestrian lights are installed on the slip lanes, instead of zebra crossings.
The good news is that the Burwood Highway footbridge is currently being constructed and should be completed by early 2009. The Maroondah Highway footbridge project began about a month ago and should be completed by mid 2009. There is also talks of a High Street Road footbridge but no official announcements have been made.
The steep route through Mullum Mullum and the use of the existing footbridge at Yarraman Station are the next biggest grudges. I believe some of the trail could have been better graded to make riding abit easier, as it does put off some amateur riders. The situation at Yarraman Station is a shocking effort. A footbridge could have easily been attatched to the EastLink Bridge with an extra section connecting the bridge to the railway station footbridge for train access. In the end it is all about cost-cutting and lack of proper thought.
A new poll has now been posted. Go and vote for the good of the cycling community!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't mind the steepness through Mullum Mullum - good for me, but it's not a family ride.

I'm confused by the mullum mullum trail - ther'es a big piece missing, linking the eastlink bit and bit that goes past Beattie's Nursery, so far as I can tell. Do you know what's going on there?

And can you surface the RSS feed, thanks

Luke said...

Hey Grahame. Thanks for leaving a comment.

The current situation with the Mullum Mullum Creek Trail is quite confusing. There is currently two sections. The upper section runs from the north of Croydon, through Ringwood and into the Mullum Mullum Valley above the EastLink Tunnels. The lower section (which Beattie's Nursery sits on) runs from the Yarra River to Park Orchards. The missing link between Tindals Road in Park Orchards and the Mullum Mullum Valley is currently being built in two stages.

I suggest reading the Wikipedia article about the trail (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mullum_Mullum_Creek_Trail), which I helped write which clearly explains the current situation with the trail.

And I will try and surface an RSS feed for this blog. I forgot all about it so thanks for telling me.

Grahame Grieve said...

I ride from Ringwood to Heidelberg. I start on the Mullum Mullum trail, onto the Eastlink for the *hills* and then along the eastern to burke rd, finally up the Main Yarra Trail to Heidelberg.

The hills are tiresome, so I'm wondering whether the yarra/mullum trail combination is better or not. I guess it's not sealed, but since I have a hardtail with fat tires, it mightn't make that much differnce. I'll give it a go sometime and comment here