Council has unveiled four designs for a controversial High St section of its planned bike network amid fears the shopping strip will lose car parks.
Geelong Mayor Bruce Harwood presented the four plans at a briefing on Tuesday morning following recent meetings with traders.
“Obviously car parking to some traders is not negotiable,” he said.
The majority of traders at the meetings supported the first design, which would see High St lose eight car parks for two pedestrian crossings.
The crossings and a 40km/h speed limit would allow cyclists to share the road without significantly impacting traffic congestion, Cr Harwood said.
“(Cars) won’t back up for kilometres. Traffic moves very slowly through that part of High Street.”
Motorist would still have opportunities to overtake cyclists riding uphill along the section, stretching from Mt Pleasant Rd to Roslyn Rd, he added.
Two options – a two-lane bike path on the western side or singe-lane paths either side – would see council remove 30 of 83 on-street car parks.
A third option with “protected” rather than separated bike paths would require the removal of all 83 car parks.
But the 1100 on- and off-street car parks between Roslyn Rd and Mount Pleasant Rd were, at most, 66 per cent full on an average weekday, Cr Harwood said.
Residents and traders would adapt to any of the options, Cr Harwood said.
“Over time people come to accept it and they adjust accordingly.
“The world doesn’t stop just because there’s a new bike lane or some new trees.”
Council will hold a series of public consultations and Cr Harwood urged locals to complete a survey on the plans at www.geelongaustralia.com.au/yoursay.
“We want to hear from everyone who uses High Street,” he said.
