Launceston Council is asking for ideas to make the streets surrounding the Inveresk precinct more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.
This is an opportunity for the community to not only tell aldermen that bike facilities are important but what standard you expect.
The map of streets and intersections that have been identified for action are up on the Your Voice Launceston page, along with concept plans for some of the sites.
For other sites, the council has identified them for action but is asking the community what they want to see happen.
There are also rough timelines given for each site. These have been determined according to the University of Tasmania’s masterplan as well as other activity such as the relocation of the Boral Construction Materials facility. The university plans to finish construction at the site in 2021.
Some of the university’s plans are still being developed which is why Invermay Road for instance hasn’t been identified for feedback. Once the council knows where the university will put entrances and linkages it can look at changes to the road.
Three off-road trails lead riders towards the precinct – university trail, North Bank trail and Inveresk trail – but all are lacking easy connection into the precinct.
The council has picked out Gleadow, Holbrook and Lindsay streets as potential routes for riders and walkers.
There is the opportunity with this project to install separated cycleways along Gleadow and/or Holbrook streets to link the university trail into the Inveresk campus on routes separated from traffic.
While Launceston has some great off-road paths, it doesn't have any on-road separated cycleways of the kind which have worked in other cities to get more people riding.
Key to providing seamless links to the precinct are new road crossings with dedicated green, amber and red bicycle lights.
The intersections of Gleadow Street with Goderich Street and Invermay Road could have clear crossings for riders, taking them from the off-road path across roads and onto separated on-road cycleways.
Likewise, at Lindsay Street and Invermay Road, the intersection there could have better connections from the North Bank trail down and over to the precinct, including wide kerb ramps and bicycle crossing lights.
When the new North Bank pedestrian and cyclist bridge to Seaport is finished, it will link into the bike path near North Bank Park and the path there will be sealed.
The council is also calling for public suggestions to rename the North Bank Park which is an informal name as there is already an official North Bank in Trevallyn.
The council's vison for the streets in this area is for people to move more easily from North Bank Park to the Inveresk precinct, with certain streets and paths earmarked for pedestrians and cyclists.
You can forward your ideas online and if you are interested in learning more about the draft and potential plans, get along to the one of the information nights at the University of Tasmania Stadium, Level 2 Function Room between 6 and 7pm on Tuesday 15 May or Wednesday 23 May.