"LEITH TO PORTOBELLO CYCLE ROUTE IMPROVEMENTS"

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"LEITH TO PORTOBELLO CYCLE ROUTE IMPROVEMENTS"

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Started 10 years ago by chdot
Latest reply from crowriver

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chdot
Admin

"

The City of Edinburgh Council, in partnership with Sustrans, is currently progressing a scheme to enhance walking and cycling provision between Leith and Portobello.

The first phase of this scheme has already been delivered, with a new ramp and bridge at Seafield Place/Leith Links being completed in 2012 along with a new cycleway on the former railway embankment to Seafield Street.

Construction of the second phase of the scheme will shortly commence, and these works include:

• resurfacing and widening of the existing foot/cycle path along the north side of Leith Links, between St. Mary's Primary School and the Community Orchard.
• minor improvements for cyclists on Seafield Road at the Seafield Street junction.
• resurfacing and widening of the existing shared use cycleway on Seafield Road East, between the Portobello Promenade access and the section of Seafield Road previously widened.

The extent of the works are shown in the attached plan. It is currently anticipated that work on this scheme will commence on Monday 3 March 2014 and will last approximately five weeks. We will seek to minimise disruption during construction, and temporary walkways will be provided during the works.

During construction, temporary waiting and loading restrictions may be required on Seafield Place.

The standard working hours for the site shall be Monday to Saturday between 0700 hours and 1900 hours (Leith Links section) and 0930 to 1600 (Seafield Road East).

Should work outside the standard hours be considered, or any works which are likely to cause significant disturbance, leaflets shall be delivered to residents within 100m of the site boundary giving full details of the proposed works and their duration.

"

Posted 10 years ago #
wingpig
Member

"resurfacing and widening of the existing shared use cycleway on Seafield Road East, between the Portobello Promenade access and the section of Seafield Road previously widened."

Hopefully the sticky-out lump of roadworks on the south side of the Portobello end of the chevron-sign-infested bridge will be finished before this starts or there'll be a few vehicles bumping noses...

Posted 10 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"chevron-sign-infested bridge will be finished"

I can't tell from map what is actually planned!

Posted 10 years ago #
chdot
Admin

http://greenerleith.org.uk/blog/improvements-leith-portobello-cycle-path-3793

Posted 10 years ago #
wangi
Member

Before I ask the Council... Anyone know what arrangements are being put in place for cyclists and pedestrians during the work?

Posted 10 years ago #
crowriver
Member

No idea, but I'd like to know too as No.1 son and I use that path every weekend.

Posted 10 years ago #
wangi
Member

Have fired off an email... But this isn't reassuring:

https://twitter.com/branaby/status/440769849669992448
"
Barney Dellar ‏@branaby
I'm glad the Coonsil are upgrading the Leith-Porty bike route. It's a shame they had to block it off to do it! pic.twitter.com/HRdo06Pgq8

No warning sign, no diversion, just a big fence blocking the way. Nice."

Posted 10 years ago #
wangi
Member

Response:

Thank you for your email regarding the temporary measures for pedestrians and cyclists during the Leith to Portobello cycle route improvements.

Our Supervisor has visited the site this afternoon and confirmed that diversion signage has now been erected by the contractor at Leith Links for pedestrians and cyclists whilst the path is closed. It had originally been intended to provide a temporary path along the north of Leith Links parallel to the works. However, due to the recent wet weather, providing a temporary walkway would cause significant damage to the grass and, as such, a temporary diversion is signed using alternative paths in Leith Links.

At Seafield Road East, due to the nature of the work being carried out, the footway on the north side of the road will require to be closed while the improvements are carried out. However, a temporary pedestrian crossing will be provided at either end of the works to enable safe crossing to the opposite side of the road during the path closure.

If you require any further information on the works, please let me know.

I've asked for clarification if opposite pavement is intended for cycles too, or if they're on the road...

Posted 10 years ago #
urchaidh
Member

Two crossings on Seafield Road East? That will cause a bit of grief for motorists I suspect. The slightest interruption on that road seems to result in huge queues - chaos and misery as the EEN would say.

Posted 10 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Hmm. Once Seafield Road works start, looks like I'll be taking my son on the tandem in the London Road bus lane instead, then Porty Road cycle lane. Fishwives' Causeway on the way back... Also alternate route via Marionville Road, Marionville Avenue, Restalrig Avenue and Fishwive's Causeway can be quiter, but a wee hill to get up.

Just the same routes I used before they resurfaced the Restalrig railway path, in fact.

Posted 10 years ago #
wangi
Member

As the footway on the south side of Seafield Road East is unsuitable for shared use between cyclists and pedestrians due to its narrower width, unfortunately cyclists would be required to use the road whilst the path closure is in effect, unless dismounting and using the footway. Please be assured we will seek to minimise the length of time over which the path on the north side of the road is closed while the improvements are delivered.

Posted 10 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Anyone know if work has started on Seafield Road yet? No sign of it last weekend, just wondering if they have closed it off.

Posted 10 years ago #
le_soigneur
Member

There is a JCB at the Seafield Prom Ramp and they have been working at 1 or 2 of the cabinets between there and the skew bridge for the past few days. These spots been passable on the pavement and looks like they will be for another day or 2.

Posted 10 years ago #
LaidBack
Member

Pavement path round from Prom to Seafield was still passable this morning. Path beside Leith Links is fenced off and now lots of tyre tracks in the grass.
Fence has marked barriers with 'cyclists dismount' sign.
Cyclists Dismount route addition at Leith Links

Posted 10 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Cheers. Looks like No.1 son will be able to ride his own bike tomorrow then.

Posted 10 years ago #
wingpig
Member

Early diversion notice for step-compatible users:

IMAG1202 by wingpig, on Flickr

Slope open at the bottom for turning east only:

IMAG1201 by wingpig, on Flickr

Posted 10 years ago #
Focus
Member

Those last 2 photos at least show an improvement to the previous situation where there was no warning as you come down the ramp and get part way along at road level before seeing your way ahead blocked (before the bottom of ramp section was fenced off), with no diversion sign-posted.

The grass around those fences is going to disappear fast...

Posted 10 years ago #
crowriver
Member

I was down Seafield way yesterday and this afternoon. Have to say the disruption is not that bad yet, even at the Leith Links end: perfectly good (recently resurfaced) path traverses the Links nearby.

Next week might be a different story on Seafield Road East...

Posted 10 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Sorry, wrong thread.

Posted 10 years ago #
tk
Member

Watch out if you're cycling on the Seafield shared pavement. Most of the roadworks have blown around blocking the pavement in places and not protecting the holes that have been dug

Posted 10 years ago #
chdot
Admin

http://seafieldroad.bandcamp.com/track/the-coastal-path

Posted 10 years ago #
Vez
Member

This morning there were cones and signs ready to be deployed (but currently tucked into the side of the shared use Seafield Road pavement going up to the bridge) and a set of temporary traffic lights being unloaded at the top of the ramp where the Prom meets said pavement/shared use active travel facility. JCB still there.

Posted 10 years ago #
le_soigneur
Member

The shared use pavement between the skew bridge & Seafield prom ramp is now closed. There are temporary traffic lights at the Seafield side of the bridge, allowing users to cross over to the other footpath. I think there is also a set of pedestrian lights at the prom ramp to allw you to cross back. Road traffic is flowing in both directions when the ped crossing is red.
I came through westwards on the road so I don't know if the prom ramp is still open. I will check this in the morning.

Posted 10 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Thanks for that. Time to get the tandem out next weekend then.

Posted 10 years ago #
tk
Member

Prom ramp is still open. Came through tonight. Coned area between crossings is very narrow so worth taking a primary position although it resulted in cars beeping horns behind me despite doing 25mph. Some concrete appears to have been used to make a temporary ramp from the road back on to the pavement by the prom ramp. Shame there is nothing for getting off the pavement on the west end

Posted 10 years ago #
wingpig
Member

I was reasonably impressed at how much roadway is being reclaimed on the bridge where the concrete partition is when I biked past eastwards on the road, but it seems less on fot from the path...

IMAG1208 by wingpig, on Flickr

It'll be very tight on the road there after the changes which will hopefully discourage speeding and overtaking.

There are not yet any similarly indicative markings on the current problematic forest-of-poles chevron bend bit...

IMAG1209 by wingpig, on Flickr

IMAG1210 by wingpig, on Flickr

Presumably the blue line between the bridge and Fillyside Road is where the road will be sliced into, so the resultant widened path may be a kerb or so narrower...

IMAG1211 by wingpig, on Flickr

Meanwhile, on Seafield Road, despite the large amounts of car parking nearby in the big-box shops...

IMAG1212 by wingpig, on Flickr

Posted 10 years ago #
crowriver
Member

We tandemmed it down London Road bus lanes this morning, then Porty Road to the prom. Came back via Fishwives' Causeway (nice wall to shelter from the wind) and Restalrig Ave/Marionvillle Ave/Road. Apart from the short section on Porty Road, a pretty quiet return route.

I suppose the shared use will be back in operation after Easter. Look forward to using it again then with my son on his own bike. If it's open any sooner than that, perhaps regular Seafield Road users can post here?

Posted 10 years ago #
bdellar
Member

I tried the path to n from work again on Friday. There are now crossings to the other pavement and back again at Seafield, so you can still do it car free. The Leith Links section is blocked, but there are other paths across the links. So yeah, it's pretty usable.

Posted 10 years ago #
wingpig
Member

Lots of trenches and holes on Leith Links behind the fence but the shape of the smaller-radius slope-foot corner is now visible:

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Posted 10 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"The Leith Links section is blocked"

Lots of people walking on outside today.

Thought this was comical!

What are they actually doing?

Posted 10 years ago #