Garden City bike corridor connection upgrade
L to R: Senator James Paterson, Lake Ward Cr Kathrine Copsey and Port Phillip Mayor Marcus Pearl open the Garden City Bike Corridor 4 February 2022. Credit: Chris Cassar Photography
Location
Cost
Why are we doing this?
The Garden City Bike Corridor has been designed to improve connections for bike riders by linking Garden City Reserve to the Sandridge and Bay Trail shared path networks. The project is designed to improve access for bike riders and make Beacon Road and Swallow Street safer for all users.
The corridor is an important bike route for recreational and local bike trips, and is a key action in our Move, Connect, Live Integrated Transport Strategy, providing a link between popular destinations in the Port Melbourne area.
The impact
To accommodate the separated bike path, removal of 30 parking bays on the western side of Beacon Road between First Point and Howe Parade will be required. Parking surveys undertaken in November 2020 on a weekday and a weekend did not capture more than five vehicles parking in these bays. Sufficient parking capacity remains on the opposite side of Beacon Road to accommodate these vehicles to park in this vicinity following the removal of the 30 parking bays.
We will minimise the removal of trees and vegetation along the bike corridor as much as possible.
The removal of 10 trees is necessary as part of this project. These trees are marked with a yellow paint spot and a sign, located at:
- the corner of The Boulevard and Beacon Road in Port Melbourne (one tree)
- Beacon Road, opposite 2 Beacon Road, Port Melbourne (multiple trees)
- Beacon Road opposite 4 Beacon Road, Port Melbourne (one tree)
- Swallow Street next to the Port Melbourne Tennis Club (multiple trees)
- Swallow Street in Cook Reserve, Port Melbourne (one tree)
Notifications have been sent to nearby residents and the removal of these trees will begin in early October.
Replacement tree planting will take place once the project is complete during the 2022 planting season.
Objectives
Key improvements for the corridor include:
- improved and safer crossing opportunities for pedestrians and bike riders at the following locations
- Boulevard and Beacon Road roundabout
- Boulevard and Howe Parade roundabout
- intersection of Ross Street and Swallow Street
- intersection of Evans Street and Swallow Street
- widening of the nature strip and the installation of an off-road separated bike path along the western side of Beacon Road between The Boulevard and Howe Parade
- narrowing of traffic lanes on Beacon Road to promote reduced traffic speeds
- upgrades to Garden City Reserve shared path, including lighting upgrades and the installation of additional signage and line marking
- an off-road, separated bike path along the northern side nature strip of Swallow Street between Garden City Reserve and the Sandridge Railway Trail
Construction is now complete
Garden City bike corridor is ready to use. The new and improved bike route have increased connections for bike riders as the route spans from Garden City Reserve to the Sandridge and Bay trails shared path networks, providing a link between popular destinations in the Port Melbourne area.
The upgrade means Port Melbourne residents and visitors now have increased access to Garden City Reserve or can simply enjoy the views of the 26-metre high white lighthouse along their journey.
The construction of the corridor also features the installation of upgraded lighting at the Howe Parade and Beacon Road intersection as well as at the Swallow Street and Ross Street intersection.
L to R: Port Phillip Mayor Marcus Pearl, Lake Ward Cr Kathrine Copsey and Senator James Paterson Credit: Chris Cassar Photography
Credit: Chris Cassar Photography
Removal of parking bays and the kerb along Beacon Road to accommodate the construction of the path.
