DISASTER AVERTED
- we have confirmed that there will be NO loss of parking
- the parking will be made level, but not sealed to allow the trees some water - hopefully we wont lose any bikes to tree roots/soft ground
- there is a good possibility that a bar can be installed to lock our bikes to
- there will be more trees in the way - but shade isn't a bad thing when you're dressed in black leathers/codura
- there will be a pedestrian crossing with lights above the underpass, so it should become easier/safer to park
- the uni is putting in more parking and marking it. expect parking around the OGG carpark, probably free.
original call to arms below
OK, so being the internet savvy engineering student I am, I thought, "I really hate calling beurocracies and trying to get an answer out of people who don't want to admit they know or don't want to admit they don't know or simply don't want me to know; why not simply look up the drawings, as they must be made publicly and readily available, and examine them myself?"
"central transit corridor" page - has all drawings for entire project
the relevant drawing to the main section of symonds st
Alfred Street plans
Now I have examined all the drawings and read a fair amount about the project, here is a summary of my analysis:
Good:
- The pavement will be tidied up, look nicer, and gravel should be absent.
- Above ground pedestrian crossing introduced outside the main engineering school entrance and the gym, with lights, to hopefully stop pedestrians trying to get run over and make it safe to cross the road if you're too lazy to go under it.
- More importantly for bikes, this will also give more clear windows in which to enter/leave bike parking safely
- Motorbikes can use the new bus lanes, including Grafton Bridge.
- Grafton Bridge will be strengthened and brought up to spec. - so it's less likely to fall down under the heavy traffic
Bad:
- It would appear from only three denotations of motorcycle parking on the "university" drawing that we are about to lose a significant portion of our bike parking in favour of gardens
- They were told parking loss was an issue basically everywhere along the route, so kept parking on Anzac Ave. and ignored everywhere else
- They are planting more trees... not really an issue due to absence of parking, but the current bylaws make future removal of these trees problematic, especially if they wish to re-establish or increase parking.
"Trees have been prioritised over parking. However, some trees are being felled to provide additional road width for bus lanes. The total number of trees on the route will rise from 162 to 201."- No bus lanes by what bike parking is left, so no safety improvement in that respect
- I cannot locate the bike parking on Anzac Ave. plans, assume it to be removed.
- ALL Symonds St. parking between Grafton Rd. and Alten Rd. is to be removed
- If there was bike parking further up Symonds St. and over Grafton bridge before, it won't be there any longer - most car parks to be removed also.
Conclusion: this is bad, very bad - bus lanes and trees are deemed more important than motorcyclists
Unless I have misinterpreted the drawings and "planting" actually means "parking", there may be some leeway if either we are able to "convert" the gardens to parking with their approval or "convert" the gardens to parking without their approval.
I will still have to go confirm, but now I have seen the drawings and know where they are, there will be little allowing them to fob me off while they play dumb.
Original post:
I received an email today as a follow up to one sent yesterday.
It was sent to all engineering staff and forwarded to all students, but i do not know about the rest of the university.
Originally Posted by email 10/03/08Originally Posted by email 11/03/08, see attachment added to this post
The map attached to the second email (and this post) marks basically ALL symonds street motorcycle parking, being atleast 90% of uni motorcycle parking, for "parking removal".
I have emailed back hoping to clarify the situation.
We are definitely about to lose all the parking on the engineering side up by architecture, which will further overload the already full bike parks.
It is about time the SMC got serious about bike parking. We need Alfred Street back, and/or more of symonds street further down the hill dedicated to motorcycle parking (moving up the hill is just plain inconvienient).
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