Buckley St level crossing: LXRA under fire as it admits traffic study not completed

THE level crossing authority is under fire for committing to a controversial road-under-rail option at Buckley St in Essendon before even completing a traffic study.

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• Design plans slammed by council

THE Level Crossing Removal Authority has been slammed for awarding contracts to remove the Buckley St level crossing before completing a traffic study.

The Moonee Valley Leader can confirm a traffic impact assessment is yet to be finished, despite contracts for the works being signed last month.

HAVE YOUR SAY: What do you think of the road-under-rail plan? Tell us below

The authority’s preferred road-under-rail option proposes reducing Buckley St from four lanes to three — two lanes heading east, and one west.

Acting Mayor Cam Nation questioned how the authority arrived at the proposal without having completed a traffic assessment.

The boom gates at Buckley St are down for more than half of morning peak time. Picture: Mark Wilson

“We are extremely concerned that the LXRA continues to insist ‘road-under-rail’ as the only acceptable solution, when it is clear they haven’t done groundwork to support this claim,” Cr Nation said.

“Why is the LXRA only now collecting detailed traffic data when they have already awarded the design contract for a road-under-rail option that involves the narrowing of Buckley St from four lanes to three?

“Why was the collection of this data not the starting point, before going out to the community, selecting a preferred design and awarding the contract?”

The authority’s web site shows studies had been conducted to identify how pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles use the area.

Level Crossing Removal Authority staff during the public consultation phase of the project in Essendon. Picture: Supplied

But LXRA project director Michael Caink confirmed a traffic study was yet to be completed.

“No, there is no single traffic management study available for public release,” Mr Caink said.

“We are building on significant and ongoing assessment to create a comprehensive picture of how traffic moves around the area, as we develop the detailed design for the project.

“We will continue to refine the project design for the road underpass based on factors including community feedback, traffic management studies, geotechnical findings and other technical work.”

An artist's impression of how the area will look when work is completed.

The recent installation of what appears to be traffic counting cameras near the Buckley St intersection fuelled speculation that a traffic study had not been completed.

The cameras have not been installed by the council.

Mr Caink said the LXRA will seek community feedback on improvements to public space and transport connections in the area.

He encouraged people to ask questions at the Essendon Info Hub at 20 Russell St, which opened last week, phone [phone], or email [e-mail]