Look what I found on the way to work

Anybody familiar with Adelaide's bike lanes would know that there is no such thing as a bike lane over an intersection. The painted line stops and just leaves you to it - either in a turning lane or in the middle of nowhere.

Some time ago, somebody who is in charge of these things realised that students tend to ride bicycles more than the rest of the population. I'm just clutching at straws here but it might have something to do with income. Who knows?

Anyway, outside the University of Adelaide on the crossing over North Terrace that hundreds of student use every day, this has been painted and a little button just for cyclists has been installed:



Unlike many signalised pedestrian crossings it does not allow you to go at precisely the same time as cars wanting to turn across your path. It means that when the bike light turns green, you're generally ok and not in much danger.

What is interesting about this particular facility is that it doesn't join up with a bike lane on the other side of the road where that bus is in the picture. The bike lane doesn't appear for two blocks further up Pulteney Street. There is one planned though.

Even more interesting is that it starts from a pavement. There is no bike lane leading up to it. It might be because cyclists are expected to walk their bikes up to it and then get on but I prefer to think that the person responsible knew that all those studenty types ride across the plaza anyway and just want to keep riding once they hit North Terrace.

If that's what was planned, then great.

Looking at the picture, you can see it is far from perfect. It would be great if it led cyclists to the other side of that parked ute on to a protected lane but for now it is worthy of a picture because it is the first bike lane that I know of in Adelaide that actually crosses an intersection.

We might have entered a new age.