Alternative route to C2
Route C2 is a principal community route between the south end of Commonwealth Bridge and Queanbeyan, using off-road routes. It is used every working day by a number of riders for commuting between Queanbeyn and Canberra City.
On 12 August 2024, a notice was posted on the ACT road closure website saying the 'footpath' would be closed from 19 August 2024 for longer than 2 months for 'Active Travel cycle path asphalt works', between Tom Price Street and Woods Lane -- effectively between the entrance to HMAS Harman and the Canberra Outlet Centre, a distance of about 1.5 Km.
On 21 August 2024, signs were posted beside the path, saying it will be closed on 27 and 28 August 2024, next Tuesday and Wednesday, Based on past experience we guess that a hot asphalt topping will be applied to the existing path, which should make it gorgeously smooth.
The downside is that the signs beside the path direct cyclists to use an 'alternative route'. Queanbeyan commuters know that if you are not prepared to ride on a high speed dual carriageway there is no viable alternative route. The upside is that the path closure is expected to be much shorter than the 2 months initially expected.
After speaking with the overseeing managers who are answerable for road maintenance, we have been assured that the asphalting task is now expected to take less than a full working day, and the work will not start until after the morning peak hour. This will allow active travel commuters to still commute on the path in the morning and the evening, as the maintenance work is expected to be completed during the middle of the day, when road traffic is less dense.
From Pedal Power's and regular commuters' perspectives, we note that the path that is about to be upgraded is already in a pretty good condition, and it will hopefully be improved to be smoother than a baby's bottom. We hope that the remaining period of proposed road closures will also be used to remedy some genuinely awful potholes, bumps and tree-root ridges elsewhere on this route that have a justified reputation for damaging bike wheels and breaking spokes. Pedal Power considers that these repairs and maintenance would provide a better return on investment for the public good, compared with the nice path upgrade.
Pedal Power shall also seek the justification for the car-centric alternative route option provided to active travellers, noting that this innate bias also exists in many other countries. We shall keep you informed of any progress we may make.
