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First time on the bike for a week this morning, and I was on automatic pilot as I went round the back of Roseburn park and over the wee 'bridge' by the side of Murrayfield around 6.20am. It was only once I reached the pavilion that I began to think that the original path might be open again and I'd cycled past it without looking.
Can anyone confirm whether or not the flood works have finished and the route through the park is open again?
It wasn't open on Sunday. Doesn't look there is much left to do both within the park and the path along the river
The bit from Baird Drive under the railway bridge to Pansy Walk is open.
Yeah, I was paying more attention on the way home last night and it's still closed.
Flatbed van reversing out of the Roseburn Place end towards me with no banksman, driver not looking in my direction and passenger engrossed in his mobile. Good job I was paying attention and thinking ahead...
Path now reopen at the east end of the park. I didn't see if the path by the river is open yet.
I cycled Baird Drive bridge to Roseburn Crescent by the new 'old' route on Friday and all was open - the ice rink entrance/exit is still a bit of a free-for-all (no markings/traffic calming) so 2-tonne vehicles were charging in/out at 20+ mph - not great.
Path fully open this morning. Just be careful when turning on to the ice rink bridge. There is a metal script at the North end which may become icy at times.
@biketrain It's also particularly slippery when wet, as you're naturally turning when crossing it either way.
After a couple of squeaky-bum moments when the metalwork first appeared, I now manoeuvre myself so that I'm crossing it straight-on by the time my front wheel is touching it.
No idea why they can't apply a rough surface coating to it as a preventative measure, though.
The metalwork is the roller path / seal for the flood gates, so unlikely it will be getting a coating. Difficulty here is having to turn across it, rather than cross at 90 degrees.
Is the path alongside the river open now? Or just the east end of Roseburn Park
Riverside path is fully open. Interestingly the flood gates leading to Murrayfield back pitches have been designed lower than the levy on the other side.
A planned first point of failure.
I wonder what they say about that when they build flats on the back pitches.
Pedestrian access to the Ice Rink is non-existent
Perhaps the floodgate is deliberately lower to act as a spillway, so if the water does get high enough to top the levee it does so over the tops of the gates, rather than equally across the tops of the levees - it would mean in theory you could position your pumps and sandbags at known "weak" points.
I'm assuming here the council has pumps and sandbags. They'll probably just put some signs up asking the water to get back into the river.
You're suggesting that the SRU wanted the pitches protected to allow them to sell the land on at great profit, and not because they need the practice facility available during a one in ten year flood?
Sacrilege I say.
The gates do not need to be 100% watertight underneath and that is not a good reason to leave a smooth metal surface untreated.
See: Warriston Rd gates
It is straightforward to build a small sump and specify a pump large enough to take away any seepage faster than it flows out.
Let's have a sweepstake on which gate they'll forget to shut at the next flood, rendering the whole scheme an expensive white elephant.
I was wondering what the testing regime for the gates is. Given some of these went in about 5 years ago now, I assume there's testing at least 6 monthly outside of the flood risk season to make sure the things actually work if they are needed.
@Klaxon I see what you mean. My other thought is that it might be the bridge expansion joint. But yes, it could really do with some coating given that the frost risk is higher on a bridge and even higher on a cold bit of metal.
"They'll probably just put some signs up asking the water to get back into the river."
WATER DISMOUNT
The new green banks will be swampy/marshy/reedy/birdy/grassy before you know it.
Especially if it gets a nice big flooding in May right before the grow season
Why would they ask the water to move when they can simply put up a couple of signs asking local houses to wear waterproof/hi Viz/take an alternative route, etc.
Cycled along the reopened riverside path this morning for the first time. So lovely and smooth compared to the now-cratered Riversdale Crescent, and the little path-level lights along the edge were rather fab in the early morning darkness.
IT's a lovely addition to the commute. Wide, smooth tarmac, and a wide river bank which has been laid with a matting to encourage green growth. A big improvement on the rough path, old wire fence and concrete riverbank that came before.
I did like that there were no lamp posts, but only path-level LEDs, the low ambient light conditions I find easier to cycle on than the bright/dark/bright/dark patches you get with LED street lights along the paths. It also allows your eyes to adjust to the dark so you can actually see the river around you.
They're still doing a bit of work at the 1st bridge after Roseburn Park, but you can get around the work coming from any direction.
Went along this for the first time yesterday - very nice. I like how LEDs change from white to red at the junctions/bridges.
Now the first half of my commute (apart from Baird Drive) is off road and it's ace.
Is the bit going the other way to get to Stevenson Road open as well?
@Stickman - do you mean the bit under the tunnel that takes you to Westfield? Yes it is.
@kaputnik - it was nice seeing old guys taking their dogs for a run on the wide river bank.
I miss the wildlife corridor, however a lot of it should grow again.
Rosie - thanks, that's excellent.
@stickman - it's my safe and scenic alternative route to Sainsbury's instead of braving Westfield Road. Delighted it's open.
Surface in the tunnel a bit broken in contrast to the new smoothness.
@Rosie: likewise. Shopping trips by bike with my wife have been restricted as she won't use the roads so I'm glad it's reopened.
I've noticed that cars are now parking in front of the eastern exit of the shared path at Roseburn Place, effectively blocking it. I don't remember this before the flooding works. Are they now allowed to park there?
@firedog: it's always been a problem, even before the recent works. Apparently will be addressed under the Roseburn-Leith project.
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