"Is it not a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt for so small a thing?"
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The Sturt Street shared path project has faced a lot of criticism over the journey, from poorly-received concept designs, scoffing about the number of users, and the piecemeal way it's come together.
Now there's one more thing - a kerb, of all things.
The state government Department of Transport is in charge of building the shared path from Pleasant Street to Dawson Street, as it involved building those fun new U-turns as well as putting in new traffic lights.
The City of Ballarat is in charge of finishing the project, from Dawson Street to Grenville Street, and work is now under way.
But in between - Dawson Street - there's a bit that was finished too soon and will now need to be removed.
Right now, as will soon be fixed on Drummond Street, anyone walking, riding, or e-scootering on the path will have to get off the path at Dawson Street and wait for three separate light changes before they can continue on.
This is why there are works at Drummond Street, to install pedestrian signals.
There'll be pedestrian signals at Dawson Street too, which is why path users would expect the new kerb there to include a ramp, which would eventually allow them - when works on the other side are finished - to keep going.
This has not been the case, with the Department instead finishing its side of the works, on the western side, with a bright new kerb, gutter, and drain - no ramp in sight.
This means to fully complete the project, and avoid people bunnyhopping e-scooters off the kerb, it'll need to be replaced with a ramp.
The Department confirmed this to be the case, noting the work was completed before the City of Ballarat released its designs for the eastern side, so it was unable to plan ahead for the location of the ramp.
"Together with our project partners at the City of Ballarat, we're currently finalising plans to install pedestrian-operated traffic lights at the intersection of Sturt and Dawson streets, creating a continuous link for cyclists and pedestrians between Pleasant and Grenville streets," the Department's Grampians regional director Michael Bailey said in a statement.
IN THE NEWS
The Department decided it was better to construct new kerbing instead of leaving the path unfinished.
One day soon, pedestrians, cyclists, and e-scooter riders will be able to head all the way from Pleasant Street to the Bridge Mall - but not yet.
In other roadworks news, the City of Ballarat's resurfacing of the Eastwood Street car park will begin its second stage from Sunday, February 20, and Golden Plains Shire Council has advised major works will begin near Enfield on 18km of the Ballarat-Colac Road from February 21 until July.
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