Clearways to be introduced along busy stretch of Swan St to aid Hoddle St upgrade

New clearways along Swan St in Richmond will run 24/7 from this Sunday as work progresses on the Andrews Government’s push to unlock Melbourne’s worst traffic bottleneck.

New clearways along Swan St will run 24/7 from this ­Sunday as work progresses on the ­Andrews Government’s push to unlock Melbourne’s worst traffic bottleneck.

From May 5, cars travelling in both directions along the busy stretch will be banned from parking at all times ­between Punt Rd and ­Botherambo St to improve traffic flow.

The section of road feeds ­directly into Victoria’s first continuous-flow intersection, built this year to cut down queues and red light times along Hoddle St.

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SWAN ST DRIVERS’ TRAVEL TIMES BLOW OUT

Similar clearways were introduced on Punt Rd last year, between the Eastern Freeway and the Yarra River, to help with the ­introduction of ­P-turns along the corridor.

Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said the state government was using a combination of strategies to improve journeys for the 330,000 travelling along and across Hoddle St.

“Keeping this stretch of Swan St free of parked ­vehicles will allow us to safely separate trams and cars and provide a clearer path for tram passengers heading to Melbourne’s busiest sporting precinct,” she said.

New clearways along Swan St will run 24/7 from this ­Sunday. Picture: Jason Edwards

Properties along the road have been briefed on the changes, following concerns last year from stores about possible loss of customers.

The new 24/7 clearway was initially slated to extend further along to Lennox St but these plans were altered after feedback from local businesses. The new road rules will also pave the way for construction of a super tram stop with better shelters, lighting and pedestrian crossings.

Commuters have been warned to expect delays during the stop’s construction and a busy part of Swan St will be closed for almost five days. The road will be shut between Punt Rd and Cremorne St from 11pm on May 19 until 6am on May 24.

Already this year, Olympic Boulevard was closed for five days between Punt Rd and AAMI Park as part of an upgrade to the corridor’s tram tracks. The project is now in its final stages and is expected to be completed by late 2019.

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