Hinterland road deemed ‘too dangerous for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists to use’
By Kirra Livingstone
A NUMBER of concerned Maleny cyclists have contacted the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), calling for urgent upgrades to the deteriorating Maleny Kenilworth Road.
Long-time resident Dorothy Hills, who has lived in the area for 23 years, recently wrote to TMR urging repairs to the section between the Reesville Road turnoff and the Maleny township.
“There is no safety margin for cyclists or walkers, and there are numerous potholes and crumbling road edges,” she said in her email.
“The road is narrow and has oncoming traffic most of the time as well.
“In many places there is absolutely no opportunity for a cyclist or walker to safely distance themselves from the traffic.
“This means vehicles have to swerve or brake suddenly to avoid hitting a cyclist or pedestrian.”
Ms Hills, a long-term cyclist, said the road had significantly deteriorated over the past two decades.
Speaking to Glasshouse Country & Maleny News, she said the lack of a continuous bike lane made it extremely unsafe for riders.
She said she had now stopped cycling on the road entirely, and her cycling group had followed suit.
“We don’t ride that road anymore because it’s too dangerous. I’ve made that decision for myself because I’m not going to risk being on the road,” she said.
“There have been many times when trucks or cars are speeding up behind you just as the bike lane disappears. We have to veer into potholes or completely off the road.
“Then we might fall off and end up with scrapes – sometimes you might even be clipped by a vehicle.” Ms Hills said fixing the road would benefit the entire community.
“This is a very busy piece of road. It’s used a lot by locals and by tourists- and maybe that’s not obvious to those outside the region, but quite truthfully, it’s been bad for a really long time,” she said.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport and Main Roads said that while they were aware of community concerns, Maleny Kenilworth Road currently had no allocated funding for active transport improvements.
kirra@gcnews.com.au
