Redspot Survey 2018 reveals Melbourne’s most congested roads
DRIVERS have voted in droves on the most congested streets that delay their daily commutes. Did the gridlocked stretch that grinds your gears make the list of Melbourne’s 10 most hated thoroughfares?
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MOTORISTS have voted in droves on which are Melbourne’s 10 worst roads.
The Leader revealed earlier this year that city congestion had got so bad, the traditional morning and evening “peak hour” periods now stretched to more than six hours day.
Even worse, commuters say some areas are traffic nightmares no matter the time of day.
Thousands of drivers took part in the RACV, Leader Community News and 7 News Redspot Survey, which this compiled a shortlist of Melbourne’s worst roads and asked readers to vote on them.
The list was compiled by data analysts Intelematics after examining a year’s worth of GPS information — collected from vehicle sensors — which revealed stretches of road where traffic banked up and slowed to a snail’s pace.
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After a five-week voting period respondents ranked Alexandra Parade at the end of the Eastern Freeway the “worst of the worst,” with the redspot claiming 22 per cent of votes.
RACV roads and traffic manager Dave Jones said the stretch between Charlotte and Wellington streets was intensely frustrating for motorists, wasting their time, slowing down the city and damaging productivity.
He said the planned North East Link may help eventually.
“With construction of the North East Link, traffic may divert from Alexandra Parade to use North East Link and more commuters may use the planned busway to get to the city,” Mr Jones said.
He said more work was needed though.
“Along with changes to the Hurstbridge and South Morang Lines and completion of the Melbourne Metro, there’s a need to reinvestigate what’s needed to address the congestion issues along the east-west corridor.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Did voters get it right? Tell us which roads make your daily drive a nightmare.
“The previous plans may not be the best solution given all the changes underway affecting travel in the region.”
Thompsons Rd, which straddles Lyndhurst and Skye in Melbourne’s southeast, was voted second-worst, with 16 per cent of the vote.T
Traffic on the stretch between Taylors Rd and Dandenong-Hastings Highway could slow from 76km/h to just 30km/h.
And third place was a tie between Rosanna Rd, Heidelberg and Kings Way Southbank, which each earned 14 per cent of the vote.
Your votes: Melbourne’s worst roads
1 Alexandra Parade, between Charlotte and Wellington streets, Clifton Hill
2 Thompsons Rd, Taylors Rd to Westernport Highway, Lyndhurst/Skye
3* Rosanna Rd, between Darebin and Burgundy streets, Heidelberg
3* Kings Way, York St to Westgate Freeway, Southbank
5 Western Ring Rd, Sunshine Ave to Western Highway, Ardeer
6 Burke Rd, Eastern Freeway to The Boulevard, Balwyn
7*Malvern Rd, Williams Rd to Westbourne St, Toorak
7*High St, Park St to O’Herns Rd, Epping
9 Upper Heidelberg Rd, Kenilworth Parade to Waterdale Rd, Ivanhoe
10 Barkly St, between Donald and Droop streets, Footscray
* equal numbers of votes
Redspot Survey respondents named the other “nightmare” roads that made them see red.
They include clogged Banksia St/Manningham Rd between Lower Heidelberg Rd and Bulleen Rd, which motorists said were congested no matter the time of the day.
“A blocked traffic sewer feeding into the putrid nightmare of Rosanna Rd,” one respondent wrote.
“Politicians talk of the North East Link, but that is eight years away (or much longer if the Coalition get back in). A solution for this excessive congestion is needed now. It should be implemented concurrently with a comprehensive, long term public transport solution for Melbourne”.
The tangle of Thompsons Rd, Bulleen Rd and the Eastern Freeway in Balwyn North was also noted, with respondents saying cars on Bulleen Rd could bank up all the way to Manningham Rd.
“We cannot wait for the ring road connection to fix this intersection which remains unchanged since the freeway stopped at Elgar Rd! Two lanes from Bulleen Road leading onto the freeway heading out are needed to ease the congestion in this area,” one road user wrote.
Getting from Royal Parade, Parkville, to CityLink via Macarthur Rd, Elliott Ave and Racecourse Rd also proved a headache for motorists, who said it was impossible to get through the area for most of the day.
“It only takes a rainy day or one breakdown on the West Gate or Bolte bridges and you can be stuck next to the Zoo and the Carlton Cemetery for over one hour without moving,” one commenter wrote.
Fitzsimons Lane between Porter and Foote streets in Templestowe also got people talking: “The traffic banks up here not only at peak hour but at various times of the day. It can bank up all the way to King St and can add 30 minutes extra to the trip home over the Yarra River. There needs to be another bridge over the river and make the bus lane a car lane to ease the overall traffic flow.”
Mr Jones said the Redspot Survey had highlighted the need for continued, forward-looking investment to keep Melbourne moving.
“Congestion must be tackled head on by planners and politicians,” he said.
“There remains the need to continue investing in major and local road, bicycle and public transport infrastructure and services.
“Besides the high profile locations identified in the Top 10 there are many local congestion hot spots that can sometimes be fixed with relatively simple and cheap solutions.”
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