Gold Coast Oceanway
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The Gold Coast Oceanway is a shared use pedestrian and cyclist pathway on the Gold Coast connecting the Point Danger lighthouse on the NSW and Queensland border to the Gold Coast Seaway. The network includes 36 km of high quality pathways.
A foreshoreway is a public right of way along the edge of a waterbody. The foreshoreway is often defined as the paved route pathway accessible to public pedestrians that is closest to the waterline and offers the opportunity to move along the waterbody. Dead ended sections of pathway that offer public access only to a waterbody or across a waterbody are not part of the foreshoreway.
An oceanway is a form of foreshoreway that provides public access along an oceanfront area. The terminology was derived to avoid the perception of a pavement favouring either pedestrians (walkway) or cyclists (bikeway). An Oceanway corridor often includes a number of traffic streams that provide access along an oceanfront area including
- soft shore movements (eg walking along the sandy beach)
- edge of foreshore off road green mode pavement (foreshoreway)
- edge of road off road green mode pavement
- on road bikeway
- on road private vehicles movements
- on road public transport corridor
Another common type of foreshoreway is called a Riverwalk that provides public access along a river.
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[edit] Seachange Growth
Many new people are moving to coastal areas seeking seachange lifestyles. Tourist numbers for major coastal areas are also growing increasing the need for sustainable coastal tourism. Seachange growth poses challenges for coastal management. Oceanway investment is an example of a sustainable transport program that aims to increase the modal share of non private vehicle movements along an ocenaway. The goal is to reduce the average coastal footprint for visitors to the coast so that beach experiences remain an active and healthy part of the average person's lifestyle as coastal communities grow.
[edit] Social Issues
Social issues associated with oceanway investment include equity, disability and CPTED. As city's grow, the value of coastal property increases and less people can afford to live near the beach. As city's grow even larger the carparks along the beach start to overflow and roads leading to coastal areas become increasingly congested.
One growth model is just to keep expanding the size of carparks whenever they get full leading to conern about 'paving paradise' as expressed in the song Big Yellow Taxi.
Another growth model is that beach experiences become increasingly enjoyed by only richer people as the average person cannot afford to overcome the congestion and property value barriers of visiting the beaches as a regular part of their lifestyle. Often local resident groups oppose investment that attacts additional people to visit 'their' beach (known as Fortress Coast attitudes). Due to local opposition, its often necessary for a brave politician to champion the cause before a commitment is made to invest into higher capacity foreshore areas. An example is Jim Soorley who championed the cause of the Riverwalk for Brisbane.
[edit] Foreshoreway Advantages
Foreshoreways (such as the Gold Coast Oceanway) are often superior green mode corridors for reasons including;
- safer for users
- less street crossings
- less driveway crossings
- follow contours (level)
- attractive foreshore vistas
- allow access to coastal recreation
- Often more space for full width pavements
- less need for obstructions like traffic signs, service pit lids, light poles and bus stops within pavement
- often more light, more breezes and less shadows then alternatives
- often separated from the air quality and noise problems associated with walking beside busy roads
- promotes a connection with the environment
[edit] Foreshoreway Standards
The Gold Coast City Council has developed standards for major foreshoreways including the 'Gold Coast Oceanway'. The standards include chapters about the following;
- lanscaping
- connectivity
- visual analysis
- safety risk assessment and CPTED
- width
- geometry
- constrution materials
- finishes and colour
- path jointing detailing
- line marking
- intersections and crossing treatments
- lighting
- signage
- furniture
- public art
- vegetation
- equitable access
[edit] Investment Program
The Gold Coast City Council has a program to invest into the quality and capacity of the Gold Coast Oceanway. Its already possible to enjoy walking and cycling along the full 36km Gold Coast Oceanway corridor from Point Danger to the Gold Coast Seaway but many sections are narrow and of low quality. There are many places where a realignment of the Oceanway traffic routes from the landward side of beachfront buildings to the beachfront itself would allow a superior pavement to be constructed. Beachfront residents are concerned that opening up the public land between their houses and the beach will detract from enjoyment of their property, citing in particular CPTED concerns.
[edit] Gold Coast Oceanway Sections
The 'Gold Coast Oceanway' includes a number of different sections [1] including
- Federation Walk 36km-32km
- The Spit Oceanway 32km-31km
- Main Beach Oceanway 31km-30km
- Surfers Paradise Oceanway 30km-26km
- Broadbeach Oceanway 26km-24km
- Mermaid Beach Oceanway 24km-20km
- Burleigh Oceanway 20km-16km
- Palm Beach Oceanway 16km-11km
- Currumbin Oceanway 11km-8km
- Bilinga and Tugun Oceanways 8km-4km [2]
- Southern Points Oceanway (Kirra, Coolangatta, Rainbow Bay, Point Danger). 4km-0km
Travel times and distances for walking journeys along the Gold Coast Oceanway have been calculated. [3]
There are viewing platforms at popular outlooks all along the Oceanway that are accessible for people with a disability [4] and the entire route is serviced by Surfside Buses.
[edit] Logo
The Gold Coast Oceanway Logo is made up of a number of elements including
- Blue ocean waves
- Golden sand along the beaches
- Green dunes along the coast
- Cyclist (viewed from above)
- The Gold Coast Oceanway laid out as a journey alongside the dune area
- Two pedestrians of different ages (viewed from above)
- Family group moving together
- The Oceanway website for more information
[edit] Realignment Proposals
[edit] Surfers South Oceanway
The Oceanway south of Cavil Mall, Surfers Paradise travels along the narrow footpath of Garfield and Northcliffe Terraces. Gold Coast City Council has consulted with the community [5] regarding realigning the Oceanway traffic along the beachfront public road reserve between the highrise buildings and the sand dunes. [6]
[edit] TD23A Palm Beach Oceanway
Gold Coast City Council is considering proposals to invest into the quality and capacity of the Gold Coast Oceanway at northern Palm Beach.[7] A controversial area is the TD23A Oceanway between Tallebudgera Drive and 23rd Avenue. The current route for pedestrians is along the busy Gold Coast highway. A new pavement is proposed for the dune front area. Residents who currently enjoy beach front property are concerned about CPTED.
[edit] References
- ^ Gold Coast Oceanway Map
- ^ Tugun Oceanway
- ^ Oceanway Ready Reckoner
- ^ Access Gold Coast
- ^ Surfers South Oceanway (starts page 8)
- ^ Surfers South Oceanway
- ^ TD23A Oceanway
