Installation of Pedestrian Operated Signals at key locations

What is the ask?

Council requested the Victorian Government to install Pedestrian Operated Signals at the following locations:

• on Williamstown Road at Beacon Road to support the new Port Melbourne Secondary College and at Raglan Street to replace the existing unsafe zebra crossing. Both are needed to connect Fishermans Bend to the wider area
• at Blessington Street and Marine Parade in St Kilda, to support the Marina Development
• on Alma Road between Westbury and Chapel Street.

What is the issue this initiative will address?

The lack of safe pedestrian and bicycle crossing points over major roads limits access to schools, recreation, shopping areas and public transport. Without safe crossings, people with disability, children and older people lose mobility and there is generally more reliance on private vehicles.

What is Council proposing?

Walking is the most basic form of mobility and needs to connect well to other modes of transport. For example, we walk to the car or public transport, and walk our bicycles through high pedestrian traffic areas and across intersections. We can achieve growth in the number of walking trips across our City by improving the connectivity of our footpaths.

Council is advocating for the Victorian Government to fund the installation of Pedestrian Operated Signals in Elwood, Port Melbourne and St Kilda.

• Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, carries large volumes of traffic including freight with two lanes in each direction and has limited safe crossing points. Increasing residential and commercial development, and new recreational and social infrastructure throughout Fishermans Bend, such as the new Port Melbourne Secondary School, are increasing the need for signalised crossing points that are safe for students and older adults.
• The St Kilda foreshore is an attraction of state significance but has limited opportunities for access from the local area. There is a stretch of over 700 metres along Marine Parade, St Kilda, between the crossing from Luna Park at Cavell Street, down to the crossing at the south end of the St Kilda Marina at Dickens Street. An additional crossing is needed at Blessington Street to provide safe access to the Marina Development and foreshore. A crossing would also facilitate access to buses on Barkly Street and the 96-tram terminus on Acland Street.
• On Alma Road, between Westbury Street and Chapel Street, there is about 450 metres between the existing signalised intersections and several schools and pre-schools in the area and Alma Park. There is a lack of access to high-quality public space in this area, which also has a higher proportion of children compared to the rest of our City and a projected population increase of nine per cent by 2041.

The projects will encourage walking, increase access to open space and increase pedestrian safety.

How does this initiative align with the Council Plan and Victorian Government priorities?

Council

Council Plan 2021-31:  Liveable Port Phillip. -the City is well connected and easy to move around with options for sustainable and active transport.

• We will provide improvements to the way people move around our City by delivering on commitments outlined in Council’s ‘Move, Connect, Live Strategy’ including walking, bike riding and shared transport projects such as the Garden City Bike Corridor by 2021/22, prioritised in line with available funding each year.

Move, Connect, Live Integrated Transport Strategy 2018-28: Outcome 2 Action 15 - Deliver pedestrian projects that create safe, high amenity walking routes and reduce barriers to crossing major roads.

Increased pedestrian trips contribute to outcomes in a number of our Council’s other strategies, including the Act and Adapt Sustainable Environment Strategy, which includes community greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals supported by promoting healthy travel options, the Art and Soul – Creative and Prosperous City Strategy through its placemaking initiatives, and the upcoming Public Place Strategy.

Victorian Government

The project supports the goals and outcomes outlined under the Simple Connected Journeys Strategic Plan 2019-23: Operate a safe and inclusive system - Upgrading intersections, installing new traffic lights and building safer pedestrian crossings in regional Victoria and our suburbs.

It also supports sustainability goal 1 - a connected and liveable community in the Fishermans Bend Framework. This project contributes to achieving Objective 1.2.6 which aims to “Improve the pedestrian connectivity across major roads between Fishermans Bend and Port Melbourne, South Melbourne and Docklands including Williamstown Road and Lorimer Street”.

How does this initiative assist the community recover from COVID-19?

• creates short-term jobs
• fosters community connection and collaboration
• creates better access to high quality open spaces
• supports COVID-Safe travel modes via bike and walking, including travelling to school.

Cost and current status?

Cost

Cost estimates are $1.2 million for installation of one signalised intersection on Williamstown Road, $1 million for Alma Road and $1.2 million for Marine Parade. These cost estimates are subject to detailed design.

Status

During the election campaign, Ms Nina Taylor MP, now the State Member for Albert Park, committed to the following local projects within the Albert Park electorate:

• $1.5 million on safer crossings and works on Williamstown Road to make it safer to cross Williamstown Road to access Port Melbourne and JL Murphy Reserve

We are working with her office to progress these commitments while continuing to advocate for our Council’s state advocacy priorities.

Scoping, preliminary designs, cost analysis planned for December 2022 for a signalised intersection on Williamstown Road with similar work for Marine Parade and Alma Road planned for completion in June 2023.