Tuggeranong – canberra.bike

Tuggeranong: valley of bike paths 1989

Direction sign adjacent to Longmore Crescent, Wanniassa. c1989

After the paddocks in the Tuggeranong Valley, came suburbs and bike paths, and what beautiful bike paths they were.

Where we cycle to from home

The destinations we cycle to, not surprisingly, depends on where we live. The 2017 ACT Household Travel Survey breaks down the trips depending on the “region” of origin (district). The most likely destination is always the same district (locally). Beyond that, the charts below tell the story.

The 2017 ACT Household Travel Survey has been introduced and key facts discussed elsewhere on canberra.bike.

Introduction: 2017 ACT Household Travel Survey

The 2017 ACT Household Travel Survey shows that the daily commute is typically one of the longest journeys we make in our daily lives. Schools, shops, doctors and sport are usually in the local area, and then the distance travel is almost always shorter. The 2017 ACT Household Travel Survey gives some insight into where Canberrans work, live and play and how this impacts on their daily lives.

Cycling commuting in Canberra

Rushing off to work in the morning is familiar to everybody. Riding to work is enjoyable and good for our health. Getting there quickly and on time greatly matters. Considerable thought goes into getting to work. The routes between town centres are the most important ones and form cycle highways. This project focuses on the needs of commuting cyclists and the infrastructure they use daily.

Tuggeranong to Woden commuting

Urambi Hills and Lake Tuggeranong 2014. Photo Wikipedia Media. CC BY-SA 3.0 AU

Optimal routes are rare, but there are better routes. People have different cycling preferences. Road riding and off-road cycling are found here. Road lanes and bike paths may not be continuous but there is usually enough to make a worthwhile route.

Fast Track: a fast, not a feast

Today’s check of the Fast Track website showed that no new strategic bike path projects have been added between 8-27 August 2020. At the current rate, it will take 166 years to double the length of off-road paths suitable for cycling in the ACT.

Wayfinding signage for the CBR Cycle Routes C3, C7 and C9 was added, however. Signage makes a difference.

The Fast Track story

Fast Track is an initiative of the ACT Government to counter the economic fallout of COVID-19. The initiative is applauded. Sadly though, benefits for cyclists have been limited. At the current rate, it will take 166 years to double the length of off-road paths suitable for cycling.

This is unfortunate as the Canberra cycle network is long overdue for maintenance, expansion, and closing gaps. Canberra is growing faster than the cycle network. Over the last decade, many community groups have lobbied to get this fixed.

Canberra.bike has been tracking Fast Track. Here is a list of our most recent updates.

On-road cycle lanes

Riding on a busy road is not for most people but some would not be without it. On-road cycle lanes are relatively cheap to build as they are a continuation of the road surface. The intent has been to add cycle lanes when the road is resurfaced. On-road cycle lanes are not separated from the road and motor vehicles often find their way onto them. This is not legal but few think twice about it.

Canberra dirt tracks: cross links add variety

A great dirt loop around Canberra: “Canberra Centenary Trail without the suburbs” is made up of the Bicentennial National Trail (BNT) and the Canberra Centenary Trail (CCT). The route avoids crossing the suburbs. New loop rides in the north and south follow cross links reviewed by CyclingGravel recently.

Canberra Centenary Trail without the suburbs

Horse style, Bicentennial National Trail, Springvale Track, Hawker, Belconnen

The Canberra Centenary Trail (CCT) is a nice ride with the exception that so much is through the suburbs. Without directional signage through the suburbs, Komoot will be required to find our way. Canberra.bike suggests that we may as well stay on dirt roads.