Busy city intersection to trial new bike-friendly features in $1.6m revamp
New bike-friendly revamp of busy city intersection with an “unattractive” crash history could make cycling much safer and ease congestion in the process.
VIC News
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A $1.6 million revamp of one of central Melbourne’s busiest intersections will aim to make cyclists safer and help ease congestion.
A protected intersection will be constructed at Lansdowne St and Albert St in East Melbourne, featuring a separated path for cyclists and traffic light priority for riders.
Roads and Road Safety Minister Jaala Pulford said the protection measures offer the sort of features that riders wanted to see at the junction, which sees about 650 pass through daily.
“The markings will be unlike anything anyone has seen before,’’ Ms Pulford said.
“We want to have more people riding. It’s got all manner of benefits from (less) congestion to health and wellbeing and of course getting around safely and easily.’’
Kerb islands on each corner of the intersection will protect cyclists from passing vehicles as they wait to turn right.
The measures should be in place by the middle of next year and would be evaluated four months from their inception.
The intersection had an “unattractive” crash history, Ms Pulford said.
Other intersections would be assessed for the bike-friendly measures.
A protected bicycle lane would be built at the Albert St and Gisborne St intersection as well as separated lanes on Albert St between Gisborne St and Lansdowne St, and on Lansdowne St between Victoria Parade and Albert St.
TAC figures show that Victoria’s one million cyclists were 34 times more likely to be
seriously injured than a motorist, and four-and-a-half times more likely to be killed in a crash.
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Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the upgrade would be part of the city’s integrated transport strategy which was signed off last month.
“There’s no doubt, as a bicycle user myself around the city, that when you come to intersections you really feel like you’re left in the lurch. All of a sudden the bicycle lanes finish, and signals for bicycles become confusing and this trial will help us understand what is best practice.
“The confusion at intersections creates safety and congestion issues for bicycle users and car users.’’
Protected lanes increase cyclists’ sense of safety by 80 per cent, Cr Capp said.
The council will install a further 50km of protected bicycle lanes across the city, starting with Exhibition St, Cr Capp said.
TAC road safety head Robyn Seymour said the change would allow cyclists to move off first so that they can be seen by motorists.
Bicycle Network spokesman Craig Richards said the change would make a “massive difference”.
“When it come to intersections which are a real conflict point, this is an opportunity to say that bike riders need to be protected wherever they are riding.’’