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From April 23, we announced planning for Darebin and Yarra Connectors/St Georges Road Off-road Routes and asked for community feedback.
Darebin and Yarra Connectors: are intended to improve connections to surrounding suburbs and make the core link from Station Street to Wellington and Napier Streets more effective commuter routes to and from Melbourne’s CBD.
We outlined these would include a number treatments including:
- line marking, on-road symbols, and audible tactile edge lines to help guide drivers and bike riders travel to their destinations
- barrier kerbs and bollards to provide greater separation between drivers and people on bikes on approach to key intersections.
We also indicated that while we’d make every effort to retain existing on-street parking some minor parking changes may be required.
St Georges Road Off-road Routes: are intended to improve bike riding access across the Merri Creek Trail to the Inner Circle Rail Trail, connecting the journey between Preston and Melbourne’s CBD.
We know safety is a key barrier to encouraging more bike riders on to the network, so we want to provide greater awareness and knowledge of existing bike routes for new and novice riders, while also informing existing riders of alternative route options.
We outlined that these would include:
- new and improved signage, road markings
- way finding and maps to improve the north-south connectivity of existing bike infrastructure, including links to Melbourne’s CBD.
Listening to our community
A community update about the Darebin and Yarra Connectors and the St Georges Road Off-road Routes was sent out to residents in Yarra and Darebin in late April.
Since then, we have been out talking to residents and businesses and spoken to members of the community, we have also received emails and comments on our online map.
This is what you told us and how we are responding.
The western section
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St Georges Road Off-road Routes
What is important to you?
- Design
- Bike rider and pedestrian safety
What you told us:
- There are conflicts at key locations because of large numbers of people using the paths and crossings – mostly Merri Junction, Holden Street, Edinburgh Gardens and Merri Bridge and Westgarth Street
- Bike riders are going too fast
- Road surfaces need improvements, especially when moving from a path to a road
- Other improvements you suggested included light sequencing at crossings, signage as well as making some wider and smoother.
What will we do:
Because this is a trial, we can’t do more permanent works - such as widening existing shared paths or make significant changes to crossings and pavement surfaces.
We will investigate:
- Conflict between the different users
- Road crossings
- Visibility, comfort and safety through lighting and vegetation management
- Signage to encourage users to use on and off-road routes.
Design treatments
We’ll use green surface treatments, refresh bike line marking and install bumpy edge lines to make it easier for bikes to travel south through the Merri Junction intersection.
We’ll refresh surface markings on northbound off-road paths in Merri Junction and from Apperley St to Alfred Crescent as well as Merri Creek bridge.
We’ll use special line marking (sharrows) in Apperley Street to support cars and bikes to share the road space.
Wellington / Delbridge / Falconer Streets
What’s important to you?
- Design
- Road infrastructure and traffic management.
What you told us
- There are rider safety issues through roundabouts (esp. Hodgkinson, McKean Streets). You want bikes to have priority, you also want to slow cars and use green surface treatments.
- Key intersections need safety improvements (Alexandra Parade, Queens Parade), including visibility and bike 'triggers' to activate crossing signals, as well as improving surfaces and kerbs around Queens Parade intersection.
- Better signage for road users and address ‘disappearing’ lanes (Smith Street to Turnbull Street and Queens Parade to George Street)
minimise the impact of speed humps (Delbridge Street) and other existing infrastructure on bike journeys.
What we will do
The connectors work with the current road layout and are designed to support more people to access the permanent bike riding lanes at Wellington and Napier Streets.
Following construction, we’ll continue to monitor community feedback and network performance, incorporating community ideas into the design, installation and adjustments of the lanes after they’re in place.
We will continue to work with other authorities to consider other longer-term solutions.
Design treatments
We’ll enhance bike rider safety through roundabouts, improve the visibility and priority of bikes by using green surface treatments, and by supporting cars to share the road space with bikes.
The pop-up nature of the trial means we can’t do more permanent works on intersection signals at this stage, but we’ll track traffic patterns over time.
Napier Street/Queens Parade intersection
What’s important to you?
- Traffic management
- Design
What you told us
- Improve safety, signalling and efficiency of key local crossings (Alexandra Parade, Alfred Crs, Queens Parade, Napier Street and Georges Rd) to better cater to the volume of users.
- Improve transitions to Edinburgh Gardens, including providing bike priority across Alfred Crs, using signage and line marking as well as improving the surface smoothness.
- The need to consider local business deliveries in Napier Street as well as access difficulties arising from the current parking configuration and regulations.
What we will do
We’ll investigate future options to improve signalling for bikes and pedestrians at key crossings as well as short term surface improvements and opportunities to improve access to off road paths.
We’ll install some turn restrictions at Napier Street and Queens Parade to separate bike riders and drivers in the intersection, while ensuring access for residents and businesses.
We’ll work with relevant authorities and projects to coordinate our communications and works programs to minimise disruptions.
We also know that the movement for bikes through Edinburgh Gardens is a preferred route for many riders, as it provides a safe and comfortable connection. However, we understand community concerns about high bike volumes and speeds, so we’re collecting bike speed and volume data to understand the extent of changes in behaviour as well as encouraging faster riders to use alternative routes.
Design treatments
We’ll use green and yellow surface treatments to create space for bike riders and pedestrians to cross Queens Parade.
We’ll change some vehicle movements and use signage to provide guidance:
- Drivers heading westbound on Queens Parade will access Napier Street south via the westbound service lane opening 30 metres prior to Napier Street.
- Drivers heading southbound on Napier Street will access Napier Street south by first turning left at Queens Parade before making a u- turn at the centre median opening 30 metres beyond Napier St and accessing the westbound service lane.
To ensure access for residents and businesses we will remove a single parking space in the westbound service road (which has been discussed with the stakeholder) and will ensure vehicles do not park within the required 10m clearance zones, through updated signage.
Around the Edinburgh Gardens area, we are also installing clear messaging around route options for faster riders, and emphasising that riders and pedestrians around the Edinburgh Gardens area should ‘share with care’.
These works support a broader, separate package of works for the overall improvement of the Napier St Cycling Corridor. The Napier Street Cycling Upgrade project is a key feature of the Inner North Cycling Corridor and is an innovative 2-kilometre bike riding route and safety upgrade along Napier Street, Fitzroy.
Westgarth Street
What’s important to you?
What you told us
- Improve pavement surface of the bike lanes
- Improve the condition of the line marking along Westgarth Street
- Improve the transition into Merri Creek trails
- Improve signage
- You are concerned about potential parking loss and that the volume of traffic may increase bike and car conflicts.
What we will do
Because this is a trial, we are not able to do major works on road surfaces, however we’ll improve line marking and investigate options for short term surface improvements, as well as opportunities to improve access and use of off-road paths.
Design treatments
We will use a number of treatments to help guide drivers and bike riders including refreshing line marking, installing on-road symbols and bumpy edge lines on existing bike lanes, as well as green surface treatments at intersections. Access to the off-road paths will also be improved.
Our project scope does not include major road resurfacing works, but we will treat areas of concern within the bike lanes as needed.
We’re making every effort to retain existing on-street parking, however so that bikes have adequate space to travel safely, a single parking bay will be removed, which has been discussed with the relevant stakeholder.
In the Eastern Section
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Victoria Road and Jeffrey Street
What’s important to you?
- Design improvements
- Safety of bike riders.
What you told us
- Improve the Separation Street intersection, signage, to ban some vehicle (turning) movements and to improve visibility through the intersection.
- You are concerned about the widths of existing bike lanes and suggest installing wider/protected bike lanes both at the intersection as well as more generally down Victoria Road.
- You are concerned about safety of users through the Westgarth Street intersection and about congestion
- Options to improve pedestrian safety were also raised including a 'wombat' crossing at Clifton Street.
What we’re doing
We will use a number of treatments to help guide drivers and bike riders as they travel along the street including refreshing line marking, installing on-road symbols and audible tactile edge lines on existing bike lanes, as well as green surface treatments at intersections.
At key intersections we’re encouraging bike riders and drivers to share the road and using treatments to increase the visibility of bikes.
Design treatments
We’re making some changes to key intersections along Victoria Road:
Westgarth and Jeffrey Streets:
We’ll use green surface treatments and bike boxes to increase rider visibility and encourage bike riders and drivers to share the road.
Separation St:
- Using green surface treatments to increase bike rider visibility
- Using on-road markings to clearly mark out a shared left-turn only for cars and through or left movement for bikes
- Using linemarking beyond the intersection to create a dedicated bike lane
Bastings Street
- Using green surface treatments to increase bike rider visibility
- Using on-road markings to change the through and left lane to a shared left-turn only for cars and through or left movement for bikes
We’ve made every effort to retain existing on-street parking, however, providing adequate space for bike riders to travel safely means a total of five parking bays will be removed, which has been discussed with the relevant stakeholders.
Station Street
What’s important to you?
What you told us
You are concerned about the safety of bike riders and potential for bike and bus conflict as well as the close proximity of general traffic.
potential impacts on customer parking in the strip shopping area and suggestions that Victoria Road is a better alternative with greater connectivity.
What we’re doing
Station St is a busy location, especially around the shopping area and level crossing. It's an important link for people accessing the local shops as well as those heading toward Heidelberg Road by car, by bike or on foot.
Where there is enough space in other sections, we will provide clear bike lanes with line marking, as well as vibraline and green surface treatments. These treatments support drivers and riders to know where to position themselves on the road.
Other north-south connectors in the area, including Victoria Road, will also be updated, to support riders connecting with the Heidelberg Road Link to the CBD.
Design treatments
We will use a number of treatments to help guide drivers and bike riders as they travel along the street, including refreshed line marking and bumpy edge lines on existing bike lanes.
We will retain full car access and parking in the shopping area. To support drivers and bike riders to share the lane at this location, we will use special on-road markings (sharrows).
Green surface treatments will also be used at key intersections. At the Mitchell Street intersection, a yellow surface treatment will be used to create additional space for pedestrians and make it easier to cross.