Albany cyclists, runners and walkers have taken full advantage of the new Mt Melville Cycle Link, which recently opened in March as part of the Albany Ring Road project.
The project included the Grey Street shared path extension, which fills a key gap in the city’s cycling and pedestrian network.
The new link strengthens connections between the Albany CBD and the Torndirrup Peninsula, improving access to some of the regions most popular natural attractions and tourist destinations.
Main Roads regional director of the Great Southern Andrew Duffield said the new network had already had positive effects for the community with the main purpose of the route to increase pedestrian safety.
“It’s a really positive evolution in terms of the cycling and pedestrian path network in Albany, because it connects the CBD path network to the Torndirrup Peninsula without having to have a close interface with the traffic on the Albany Ring Road,” he said.
“The main purpose is to increase safety for cyclists and for pedestrians by providing that separation between traffic, particularly heavy vehicle traffic accessing the port.”
Sections of the Bibbulmun Track and Munda Biddi Trail have also been realigned to follow the new route, which winds through bushland and passes the heritagelisted Word War II oil storage tanks.
Mr Duffield said the alignment presented a valuable opportunity for the City of Albany to further activate the site.
“The alignment with the path goes through the old World War II oil storage tanks precinct so it has an opportunity for the City of Albany to activate that area and really tell the story of the oil storage tanks precinct as well as Aboriginal heritage history of the broader area,” he said.
Before the ring roads were built, cyclists travelling towards Frenchman Bay Road had to navigate two busy T-junctions, a rail crossing and heavy vehicle traffic, creating significant safety concerns.
The upgraded shared path network now provides a safer, more direct route, removing the need for cyclists and pedestrians to interact with heavy vehicles.
Mr Duffield said the response from the community had been overwhelmingly positive.
“Feedback has been very positive, people obviously recognise the safety benefits of having that separation from heavy vehicle and other traffic on the Albany Ring Road,” he said.
https://thewest.com.au/news/albany-advertiser/mt-melville-cycle-link-improves-safety-and-connectivity-for-albany-cyclists-and-pedestrians-along-ring-road–c-22155970
