Even the most incorruptible souls will cheat, lie, beg and steal their way to a parking space at Gogarburn, rather than use the free, regular intersite bus for the 7 minute journey from A. N. Other RBS building...
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Gogar Station Road - Resurfacing & Cycle friendly improvements?
(108 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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@kaputnik
I am thoroughly corruptible, but I did once try to walk that journey. That was a mistake.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Last day to respond to consultation is today
Posted 9 years ago # -
"
Dear All,
Thank you for your comments on the cycle improvements proposed for Gogar Station Road. I am pleased to say the proposals were widely supported and have generated a lot of interest.
Attached is a briefing note which provides response to the comments received.
Initial construction works are due to commence on 16 March 2015, with the intention of carrying out works to existing gullies. This will be followed by the main carriageway re-surfacing (under a road closure) works commencing on 20 April 2015 for a duration of 10 weeks, weather and other circumstances permitting.
For any future queries related to this project please contact
"
Posted 9 years ago # -
Posted 9 years ago # -
"
Spokes CycleCampaign (@SpokesLothian)
09/03/2015 12:50
#Dutch #cycling design trial by @Edinburgh_CC HT http://www.spokes.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/p.all_4.pdfhttp://pic.twitter.com/itA1JwVoUq
"
Posted 9 years ago # -
Whoop whoop...
Work starts on GSR next week with the road being closed for c.5 weeks.
Greenroofer has successfully lobbied that they maintain pedestrian access throughout the works and this will include allowing cyclists to walk past.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Exciting times...
What we've been waiting for... by HankChief, on FlickrThe above sign didn't stop a procession of cars heading up to the barriers to check that it really was closed. They will learn...
At last... by HankChief, on Flickr
Posted 9 years ago # -
I did an inspection on my way home. It looks as if they are doing the northern section first, so you can ride from the south as far as the turning to Kellerstain, and are then asked to walk the (shortish) distance to the traffic lights at Gogarburn. I assume when that's done they'll do the bit by the chicken farm.
There was nobody working when I came by at 0750 or when I came the other way at 1630.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Chapeau, messieurs!
Posted 9 years ago # -
This is making very good progress. When I went by this morning I saw the first bits of the top surface had been laid, and they've got red chips in the bike lane.
Notwithstanding previous debates about the merits of red chips over thermoplastic, they are definitely better than nothing, and there was a concern from Spokes (I think) that the bike lanes on this road wouldn't have any treatment at all (apart from white lines, obviously).
The road has also been dug up in various places where the surface was actually OK, and I now realise that this is so that they can relay ASZ's and bike lanes with red chips too.
So it's all looking very promising...
Posted 9 years ago # -
...very promising indeed. I had feared we wouldn't get red chips as it wasn't in the consultation. Really glad CEC have gone wholeheartedly into fixing GSR.
Gogar Station Road's new surface by HankChief, on FlickrI spent a few moments stationary on GSR tonight as I was tweeting the above picture. It really was most pleasant with the birds playing above me and the peacefulness of the countryside. Do we have to reopen it to other traffic?
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'm glad to see that they thought better of doing any work on it today. I'm sure it wouldn't have done the longevity of the repairs any good to have a layer of rainwater sandwiched in there...
Posted 9 years ago # -
I wonder if the center markings will be a dashed white line all the way. Certain corners are crying out for a solid 'no overtaking' line, which would help prevent cars sideswiping cyclists by pulling in to avoid oncoming traffic. But then, would you want them queuing behind you and getting frustrated? Tricky.
Behaviour should be interesting though, since cars won't be able to avoid driving half in the cycle lane.Posted 9 years ago # -
I thought that the only markings will be the cycle lanes?
Posted 9 years ago # -
@fimm - yup, that's the plan. The road is going to be quite striking: bike lanes will take up a significant proportion of the width, and the bit for cars in the middle will be single-lane width, I reckon.
The blind corners will still be 'interesting'.
Posted 9 years ago # -
No centre line throughout...
The road is 6 metres wide on the straights so the 2 * 1.5m bike lanes will take up half of the road space. The remaining 3m in the middle is the width of a narrow lane.
Cars will need to enter the cycle lane to pass each other but hopefully the speeds will be much reduced because you no longer have the confidence that the centre line brings (i.e. if you stay on your side of the centre line nothing will get in your way) and driving partly over the red chips will make you more cautious of the potential for bikes on the road.
It's narrower on the corners so there won't be cycle lanes there which is a shame but with the plethora of bike signs and cycle lanes elsewhere it should be obvious that bikes will be around and hopefully overtakes will be limited.
Time will tell on all of this - not long to wait now...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Yes, looking forward to it. I wasn't aware of the proposed no center markings.
A further option might be a couple of those 'priority over / give way to oncoming vehicles' choke points with cycle cut-throughs, particularly in the vicinity of the blind corners. I would have thought these can be retrofitted relatively easily.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Not the same
Posted 9 years ago # -
Seeing that the A90 is getting an opening ceremony, I wonder if GSR will get a similar treatment?
Won't be long now until it's finished - some point next week I reckon. The Northern section has been tarmacced and they have been working South. What they have done looks good.
I tried to take a photo of the double red cycle lanes and narrow (relative to most roads) central black lane, but the light wasn't great and it needs the white lines to really bring out the change.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"opening ceremony"
How about a not re-opening ceremony??!
Wonder where the 'traffic' has been for last few weeks?
Are drivers expecting just a new surface?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Good point. It has been lovely without the traffic - assume they have just been using the really wide & convenient bypass instead. I did get a few comments in the office along the lines of "Are you the one who shut the back road..." They didn't get any sympathy from me but made me smile :)
I expect most drivers will be quite shocked by the transformation - whether their behaviour will change only time will tell.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I've said it before and I'll say it again, all it needs is one (1) bollard in the middle of the bridge over the railway and the road is closed to through traffic.
As HankChief says, there's a perfectly good bypass as an alternative through route.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@greenroofer - totally agree, but it will be better to wait for them to resurface it for us before putting on the bollard. :)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Still needs the white lines painted on the divide between red & black chips but this should give you some idea...
Gogar Station Road Cycle lanes by HankChief, on Flickr
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'm still a little bit sceptical about this, but without wanting to be, if you see what I mean.
Is there an existing example of this layout in use that someone knows of, and how well does it work?
Posted 9 years ago # -
'Roofer, 'Chief....I salute you. Pilgramage in the diary.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Snowy - there are some links and research on p1 of this thread.
The short answer is that it hasn't been tried in a road exactly like this and we will have to see what impact it will have.
I too had/have some scepticism on the layout and the proof will definitely be in the pudding.
The road surface is now very smooth which has made it easier to keep a steady speed and trajectory. The red chips / cycle lines are a bonus that we hope will slow down traffic & encourage wider passes - I don't think it will make it any worse so why not try it.
If successful it will show what can be done relatively cheaply (once you have agreed to resurface).
Time will tell...
@IWRATS Thank you - you may want to coincide your pilgrimage with a little event we are thinking of... details to follow..
Posted 9 years ago # -
I've suddenly got very interested in red chips. There were lots lying round after the resurfacing on Gogar Station Road, and they were so red they didn't look as if they could be real stone. So I took one home and showed it to Mrs G (a geologist of considerable expertise). After some investigation with a big hammer we've found that the red chips are real red stone ('from that quarry in Lanarkshire' according to Mrs G, on the basis of a cursory examination), but coated in an artificial bright red material.
This led me to this website about highway maintenance...
...from which I think we can deduce that the bright red cycle lanes on Gogar Station Road will, in due course tone down to a more muted red as the artificial pre-coating wears off and the natural stone appears instead. This site does say, though, that this will provide colour 'for the life of the road surface'.
So there you have it. More than you possibly wanted to know about red chips.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Oh yes. I don't think it's all wishful thinking. I think cars are still passing me slower than they used to before the resurfacing. It could be that they are just quieter because the road is smoother, but it still feels slower.
Posted 9 years ago #
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