The Haps on Hillsborough Road

It's been an interesting week on Hillsborough Road.

Suddenly we have "major roadworks with a 30kph speed restriction 24/7 at the intersection of Quona Rd. Are they installing traffic lights on a pretty insignificant road? Ok, it is not an easy road to get out of but then neither is Dominion Rd Extension or Richardson Rd. Maybe those new double decker buses are having trouble getting out? After the zillions of dollars they spent on Mt Eden Rd hardening it for the buses by moving kerblines out, power poles back and nailing bright yellow markers to any other hazard that could potentially decapitate a double decker, traffic lights on Quona are not out of the question.

Word on the street though is that your rates dollars are not being spent on letting huge buses escape from Quona Rd on a left turn. No, this is the terminus of a new $4.2 million cycleway from May Road to Waikowhai Park. Up on Hillsborough Rd it seems all the drama may be to install the flashing lights thingy on the raod and presumably a cycle crossing.

There are 60km of cycleways being built across Auckland. Build it and they will come? Well "they" have come to cycleways everywhere else across NZ. Do you go cycling for leisure or a commute? Please leave a comment to tell us what is important to you and what makes your life more enjoyable.

On another note, last night at 9pm I was trundling along Hillsborough Rd just past the cemetery heading towards town. Two guys went past on motorbikes with no lights on. At Richardson I stopped to let an unmarked police car out. Good luck I thought. What chance would he have against bikes in the sprawling cemetery and bush?

Going back the other way 15 minutes later I saw that the Police had their man. The motorcycle was right beside Hillsborough Rd. Young people nowadays. You made it to the cemetery and you still got caught? Fail.