St Kilda Road Safety Corridor – St Kilda Junction

What is the ask?

Council is requesting the design and delivery of this project be brought forward by the Victorian Government.

Council is requesting the Victorian Government to ensure, as part of its accelerated delivery, that St Kilda Junction is included as an essential part of the St Kilda Road Safety Improvement Project.

What is the issue this initiative will address?

St Kilda Road is Victoria’s busiest tram corridor, one of Melbourne’s busiest cycle routes, as well as one of the most dangerous for bike riders and pedestrians.

The seriousness of these risks became apparent in 2020 when a bike rider was tragically killed by a truck at the St Kilda Junction near the Queens Road on-ramp. As more people pursue bike riding as an alternative to public transport, particularly due to COVID-19, accidents involving riders on St Kilda Road are likely to rise.

What is Council proposing?

The Victorian Government is investing $27.3 million to build new bike lanes that physically separate drivers and bike riders to make St Kilda Road safer for all road users. A business case is being provided to Government for consideration.

Council is concerned that the business case will not include vital improvements to the St Kilda Junction, which has significant safety risks.

The project will:

• create jobs and stimulate the economy with an infrastructure project
• support the broader economy by helping people return to work through stronger transport connections between the inner southern suburbs, Melbourne’s CBD and major activity centres
• relieve demand on Victoria’s
• busiest tram corridor to levels where safe physical distancing is possible
• address potential for heightened road congestion for commuters
• improve the safety of a significant road safety black length by reducing conflict points between people driving and bike riding, and the resulting rate of collisions involving bike riders.

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.
• We will partner with the Victorian Government and connecting councils to provide temporary and permanent bicycle infrastructure that helps to support people to ride safely through our City.
• We will advocate for the Australian and Victorian Governments to invest in projects that provide alternative, active and sustainable forms of transport including the St Kilda Road Bike Lanes Project.

Move, Connect, Live Integrated Transport Strategy 2018-28: Outcome 2 No. 20 – Partners with VicRoads to deliver a better walking, bike riding and public transport environment along St Kilda Road.

Victorian Government

By upgrading the St Kilda Road corridor and building protected bike riding infrastructure, the St Kilda Road Safety Improvement Project will create stronger connections between the inner southern suburbs and Melbourne’s major activity centres, including the CBD, Chapel Street and Domain precincts.

The Victorian Government has committed funding to deliver this project.

The project supports the delivery of goals identified in the Victorian Cycling Strategy 2018-28.

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

The project is designed to address the significant challenges of traffic congestion and reduced transport capacity as a result of COVID-19, by promoting safe active transport as a viable alternative. 

Construction of the pilot trial will create jobs, stimulating the economy.

The project will also help kickstart the economy by helping people return to work through stronger transport connections between the inner southern suburbs, Melbourne’s CBD and major activity centres.

As a pilot trial, this project will enable the fast tracking of the ultimate redesign of St Kilda Road and brings forward the associated social, economic and environmental benefits.

Cost and current status?

Cost

The total cost of the project, with the inclusion of the St Kilda Junction, is unknown and will require a detailed cost analysis.

Status

Council understands the Victorian Government is progressing the development of the business case for the project with the following key activities in progress:

• multiple concept design options for the corridor
• traffic modelling
• investigations including environmental, social impact, planning, heritage and landscape.