Footscray Road Pedestrian Safety Improvements

We have improved safety for pedestrians on Footscray Road in Docklands thanks to the Australian Government’s Road Safety Program being delivered in partnership with the Victorian Government, which aims to deliver safer, connected journeys in Victoria, while supporting our economic recovery.

Project update - August 2022

Crews have completed the installation of six electronic speed limit signs ahead of the 40km/h and 60km/h speed limit zones on Footscray Road in Docklands.

In October 2021, we made the speed limit safer for pedestrians by introducing a 60km/h speed limit between Pearl River Road and Wurundjeri Way and a 40km/h speed limit during school times between Waterfront Way and Wurundjeri Way.

The new electronic speed limit signs will improve driver compliance in the speed limit zones introduced on Footscray Road in October 2021 and remind drivers slow down and be extra vigilant. 

What we’ve done

To improve pedestrian safety on Footscray Road in Docklands, we:

• installed six electronic speed limit signs on Footscray Road in Docklands ahead of the 40km/h speed zone to improve driver compliance and remind drivers to slow down to 40km/h
• installed speed reduction line marking at key locations on Footscray Road to alert drivers of changed speed conditions and to slow down to 40km/h ahead of the speed zone
• installed pedestrian fencing at the intersections of Dudley Street and Footscray Road and Footscray Road and Harbour Esplanade to improve safety for school children walking to and from school in the area and,
• reprogramed traffic signals at six key intersections on Footscray Road in Docklands to improve traffic flow and pedestrian crossing times.

Crews will be back at a later date to install pedestrian fencing near Little Docklands Drive.

The new electronic speed limit signs installed on Footscray Road will flash at 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm to remind drivers to slow down to 40km/h ahead of the school zone. The signs will display a 60km/h speed limit and not flash outside of these hours.  

Electronic Speed Limit Signs on Footscray Road in Docklands

Pedestrian fencing on Footscray Road in Docklands

Why

A breakdown of trauma statistics shows us that in 2015, an average of 7 per cent of deaths and serious injuries in Victoria were caused by crashes involving cyclists and 11 per cent of deaths and serious injuries were from crashes involving pedestrians. Research shows that if a pedestrian or cyclist is hit by a car travelling at 60km/h they are unlikely to survive. In fact, a pedestrian’s or cyclist’s risk of death or serious injury increases where vehicles are traveling at speeds of 30 km/h and upwards.

Introducing safer speed limits creates safer roads for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists, and reduces road trauma in communities across Victoria. 

When electronic speed limit signs are installed ahead of a speed limit zone, they flash to remind drivers to be extra vigilant and obey the speed limit, making the road safer for pedestrians, including shoppers, children and families during busy peak hours.

Mistakes happen, which as humans we can’t always avoid. What we can do is build more forgiving road infrastructure so that when a mistake does happen on the road, it doesn’t cost a life.

Get in touch

For more information about this project, please get in touch.

Email: [email protected]