Key York junction to get £280K upgrade to improve it for cyclists and pedestrians
An upgraded city centre junction would improve pedestrian crossings and cycle lanes.
The signals at the junction between Lord Mayor’s Walk and Monkgate are set to be revamped as part of a City of York Council programme.
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But the scheme could also see one of the two lanes of traffic on Monkgate removed to create a wider cycle route.
And the pedestrian crossings would also be improved – as well as a new uncontrolled crossing point being created in front of Monkgate Bar.
Very poor condition
A report prepared for the meeting says:
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The carriageway at this junction is in very poor condition and these works provide an ideal opportunity to carry out resurfacing.
Modelling shows that this option has no significant impact upon journey times or delays for vehicular traffic.
Widening of the cycle lane on Monkgate is seen as a positive change for cyclists that has no significant drawback.
The cycle lane on Monkgate will be widened to 1.5m at the junction to make it safer and the pedestrian islands on both roads will be made bigger. The whole junction would also be resurfaced and relined.
The report warns there will be delays while work is carried out, adding that signal renewal projects “inevitably mean a certain level of work on the highway, with an associated level of delay and disruption to pedestrians and vehicular traffic”.
But roadworks will be scheduled to cause as few delays as possible.
The meeting takes place at 2pm at West Offices.
The big issue is cyclists turning right off St. Maurice Road. I avoid that junction because it really requires the cyclist to dismount and push the bike over the pedestrian crossings. None of the other changes make a hill of beans improvement for cyclists but from the enclosed map there is NO RELIEF for cyclists turning right from St. Maurice. If you are to the right of the right lane then you are left trying to cross the row of right turning motor vehicles to get to the left hand monkgate cycle lane. The left of the right lane (the centre) is extraordinarily had to get into and even if you do you are pressed by drivers behind your right shoulder and you are contending with racers to your left heading for Lord Mayor’s Walk. I see nothing in this scheme that usefully benefits cyclists.
Narrowing lanes for vehicles will only add to traffic congestion. Which means stationary vehicles pumping out exhausts. Cyclists choose to be cyclists and if they would all obey the rules of the road all users would be safe.
Nice to see the installation of cycle lanes at this junction but I would like to see pedestrians being able to cross the roads in one go rather than having to stop half way and wait.