Monday 22 August 2016

MASTER CYCLE PLAN TO COUNTER TRAFFIC ISSUES

TIMES OF INDIA, JULY 24, 2016

SUNDAY TIMES, PAGE - 3

Architect  urban designer Prasanna Desai, who is working for the Pune Cycle Plan, said, “The foremost concern in cycling is the safety part.” There are three layers in the design decision. On the arterial roads, segregated and separate cycle tracks are needed. On roads where speeds are not that high, and roads are slightly narrower, painted tracks can be made and lastly, on narrow lanes, traffic calming measures have to take place. Road widening is not the way for everything," he added.

"Our final report will also give guidelines on the constant monitoring and maintenance of the cycle track network. Our Dutch colleagues point out that changes are not instant, they take time. So the first impact can be seen after 3-5 years. The efforts have to be relentless, consistent with repetitive investment, with cycling awareness programme by the side," he added.

Desai felt that recreation cycling is different, good to spread awareness, but cycle tracks have to serve a purpose to transport people end-to end.

“We have done audits for the city's existing tracks on paper, and have classified them as green, orange and red and henceforth will be looking at what can be improved, what needs to be retrofitted or what needs to be done from scratch,” he said.

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