Location: Corner of Faraday St and Swanston St, Carlton.Responsibility:
Council: Melbourne City Council
Description: Approaching the busy Swanston Street near the University of Melbourne from the east, travelling down Faraday Street, you encounter this strange bit of green cycle lane just a few metres long. Nobody I know has any idea what you are supposed to do when you reach the end of it, and it seems to serve no purpose (I noticed the photo shows a sign, in the second photo-it has taken me 3 yrs to notice that!). There is a cycle lane on the road, which was painted in a bit later. Had you wanted to turn left, there is a clear marking on the road to do just that. Should you want to progress across Swanston Street to the University, on what is rather unfortunately called "Monash Road", there is a nice wide track to do that, after a large gap and a crossing. You might as well stay on the road to do that, too. So maybe there is a hyperdimensional portal at the end of the green lane. That would explain why you never see anybody using this crap cycle lane.They just disappear. Solution: Why not just leave it there as a monument to Melburnian infrastructural puzzlement?
it appears to be an unfinished left turn slip lane for cyclists. Would be a good idea if complete, as kerbside cycle lanes on approach to a junction are often blocked by left turning motor vehicles (not to mention the risk of going under the wheels of a long/heavy vehicle).
ReplyDeleteThe sign suggests you are supposed to use it to go straight on. Very confusing. If you went left you may mow down some pedestrians.
ReplyDeleteBeware of trams running red lights too!
ReplyDelete