Monday 20 September 2010

Lake Street should be joined with Airport Avenue


The inner-city Lake Street, that was the center of a name change proposal in April, is back on Cairns Regional Council's agenda.

Many Cairns residents, especially taxi drivers, have been waiting a long time for the promised connection of Lake Street through to Airport Avenue.

"It was promised over 10 years ago," Councillor Rob Pyne says. "The matter was subject of some discussion at last week's Council meeting."

"It will provide an improved entry for visitors to our city, and should improve safety for motorists as well," Robert Pyne says.

The map shows the short distance that needs to be constructed (marked with a yellow arrow).

Councillors Margaret Cochrane and Rob Pyne were keen to see the connection funded in next years Capital Works Budget. Forsyth, Lesina and Lanskey voted against the works. A majority agreed, and the following resolution was passed:

16 comments:

Frequent Flyer said...

The right turn off Sheridan St into Airport Ave is a major cause of congestion.

Qld Transport has wanted this extension to Lake St for more than a decade, and according to a senior QT official, now retired, QT was willing to pay for all the necessary works, but it was relentlessly opposed by Mayor Kevin Byrne.

I can't imagine why Councillors Forsyth, Lesina and Lanskey are opposing it now, it is an obvious and necessary improvement to traffic flow.

It will also reduce airport-city taxi fares, and increase taxi driver earnings.

Uncle bill 4 times removed said...

Please kirstin change your vote .
signed uncle bill your mums 4th cousin that lived in cairns once.

Hingehead said...

I think it makes sense too, but I wouldn't want to live at the northern end of Lake street once the extension is made. It won't just be cabs to the airport using that stretch of road, anyone travelling from the CBD to the north would miss all the lights on the highway if they took Lake street and turned left at Airport avenue. Which will slow down the exit flows from the airport, which will require more 'green light' time for right turners off Airport ave onto the highway, which will in turn slow down the already abysmal traffic flow north on the highway unless there are some creative options explored for managing that change in traffic flow.

Not agin it, just hoping it's well thought out - and not a victim of the usual Cairns 'traffic light sequencing from hell'.

Chris from Cairns North said...

why on earth didnt Forsyth, Lanskey and Lesina support this>>>??????

Thaddeus said...

Dunno, Chris from Cairns North..this is the sort of thing you need to ask of the Councillors, not sit back and pass judgement. From memory, a lot of that land was land filled some years back. I recall when the sea came in very close there. And there has been erosion there at times...perhaps this is the reason? I dunno, just guessing. You need to contact the Councillors to find out why.

stinhambo said...

Build a bloody light railway from the airport to the city with a terminal and a tourism information board.

Taxis can congregate there instead.

Frequent Flyer said...

Stinhambo, I can't imagine a more stupid idea than a light rail to the city.

So, after a long flight, you drag your luggage to a rail station, rattle into a city terminal, where I can't imagine, then drag your luggage to a taxi to travel to your destination, probably back in the opposite direction!

The most efficient way to clear the airport is to provide easy access routes for taxis, and the airport is the place that has the room for taxis to wait.

Tired of overspending on taxis. said...

I got a cab from the airport last night, it was on $14 as we got to Sheridan Street, $40 to Woree.

Why is there no bus service to the airport?

As it happens it was late at night, after the buses had stopped, but that's not the case for most of the day.

Why isn't Sunbus allowed into the airport?



PS: The Lake St idea is terrible, just creating another chicken run down a quiet street.

Frequent Flyer said...

Tired, it would be interesting to know what route your taxi took.

Airport to Woree is a long fare, at night rates $40 sounds about right. Not all drivers are aware of the shortest, fastest, cheapest route - Collins, Pease, Alfred, McCoombe, Mulgrave. The obvious route - Sheridan, Mulgrave - is only a little further, but the congestion and numerous traffic lights make it more expensive for the customer and less profitable for the driver due to the extra time taken.

Of course, there are bus services to and from the airport, including one to Port Douglas and dropping off at Northern Beaches. The bus from city accommodation houses to airport is only cheaper than a taxi for one passenger - 2 bus fares is more than taxi fare - and of course you have to sit there for ages while the bus goes around every hotel/motel.

I can't see how Sunbus could make it work any better - they wouldn't be keen to run their large buses out to the airport for 1 or 2 people.

Tired of overspending on taxis. said...

@ frequent flyer

[Not all drivers are aware of the shortest, fastest, cheapest route - Collins, Pease, Alfred, McCoombe, Mulgrave.]

They may not be, but I am, and that's the way we went.

Next time I'll check what's on the meter before we leave the terminal.

As to the buses, how many airports in the world don't have a bus and/or train service?

It wouldn't take much for Sunbus to drive into the airport, a quick stop at each terminal and away again, just like it is everywhere else in Cairns, regardless of how many people get on.

The fight that night for a taxi almost came to blows, there was no queueing, no markers, no idea who was next .... it was everyone for themselves, not a good first introduction to Cairns I would imagine.

.

Frequent Flyer said...

Nick, I sympathise. Fortunately many drivers are more enlightened, and B&W tries to tell them not to rant at customers, but drivers are hard to come by, and... well you know, peanuts, monkeys!

Tired, you are entitled to have the starting prices and/or surcharges, and the meter rate, explained before you start. Last time I was there the rank worked quite well, but you are entitled to select whichever taxi you like, regardless of whose turn it is, and without having to explain the reason for your choice. When there are insufficient taxis, it is usually because it is busy in town and drivers are reluctant to drive out to the airport on spec, or even if sent by base, because it is a rank, and the first taxi there is entitled to pick up, even if another taxi has been specifically sent. Imagine how a driver feels, sent from the hospital to the airport, only to find the fare already gone, and the taxi that did pick up not bothering to tell base.

Unknown said...

Hi Frequent Flyer,

Fortunately, there are a lot of very pleasant, competent drivers out there and I seldom have had issues in the past.

But I worry what sort of impression these racist, ignorant morons leave on visitors to our city and I am sick of having to listen to their crap..

And I can't see why Sunbus can't provide some sort of bus service to the airport. As tired says, most airports in the world have some sort of public transport from and to the airport.

CairnsBlog said...

Guys... access to the Airport by transport companies is governed by the Airport authority. Cheap standard buses are not allowed. It's all about revenue collection.

stinhambo said...

Frequent Flyers,

Have you been to Europe? Getting a train to the city is very common and it could be built alongside the terminal.

Get a trolley, put your junk on there, roll to the train, get on train, go to city.

I understand that some travellers might not want to go to the city or want to go by train but a lot travellers don't carry tonnes of luggage.

A once an hour train service would be perfect and could also serve other areas of Cairns too.

Syd Walker said...

A city serious about developing a rail-based transit system would clearly look into what stinhambo suggests.

Obviously a lot of thought would need to go into the route, type of rail system, ways it would eventually connect with other lines etc.

Unfortunately, there's still mindset this is impossible and unworthy of further investigation, because we're not the size of London, can't afford it, prefer to use cars, can't change current administrative arrangements, will have to wait to see what Townsville does blah, blah blah.

But that's what it was like arguing for serious action on climate change 15-20 years ago. Hard slog. Now emissions reduction is a mainstream issue and even Governments take it seriously... in theory.

Unknown said...

Syd,

I like to put it on record that I agree with you for once.