Concerns plan to City Rd-Power St intersection will create new problem

A plan to fix one of Melbourne’s most dangerous intersections safer has been mostly welcomed but some worry it could create more traffic problems.

Plans to redevelop a notorious Melbourne intersection including removal of an inbound lane have sparked concerns of traffic chaos.

Final designs for a safety overhaul of the dangerous City Rd-Power St intersection at Southbank have been completed, with work to begin later this year.

Changes will be made to the black spot at a cost of $3.8 million, after a series of incidents at the busy crossroads including five people being injured by a truck in May last year.

The State Government has confirmed an eastbound lane of traffic on City Rd will be removed in a major change as part of the revamp, to accommodate a wider footpath and turning arc on the westbound side.

While designed to make one of Melbourne’s most dangerous intersections safer, there are fears it could create more traffic gridlock.

Intersection of Power St and City Rd in Southbank has long been a problem hotspot as B-doubles and semi-trailers try to negotiate the corner. Picture: David Crosling

Victorian Transport Association president Peter Anderson said parking on either side of City Rd should have been removed and better signage installed rather than removing a lane in a

“high pressure, high risk area’’.

“We’re worried about the volume of traffic that is there and the volume of traffic that will continue to be there,’’ he said.

“It isn’t the trucks so much, it’s the volume of cars.

“We’re making it safer for pedestrians but there is no regard for cyclists either … we should put a no cyclist sign up because they are at greater risk in that intersection.’’

The upgrade comes after a frightening collision in May last year when a B-double cut a corner and hit five pedestrians waiting at lights to cross the road.

Two months later, a heavy vehicle clipped a car and dragged it around the corner.

The final plan includes a widened footpath on City Rd and safety bollards on the apex of the corner into Power St to protect pedestrians.

How the City Rd-Power St intersection in Southbank appears now

How the intersection would look after safety upgrade works.

The pedestrian crossing across Power St has also been pushed back from the corner.

The corner has long been a problem hotspot as B-doubles and semi-trailers try to negotiate the corner.

Heavy vehicles with livestock and placarded loads carrying dangerous goods are banned from the Burnley and Domain tunnels and diverted through Southbank.

Traffic lights are also being moved back from the intersection to give trucks more room to turn.

Roads and Road Safety Minister Ben Carroll said the upgrade was important for such a critical location.

“This is an extremely busy, high-density area of Melbourne used by all road users

including heavy vehicles who cannot use the CityLink tunnel, so it was vital we got the design right,” he said.

“These significant upgrades will completely transform this busy Southbank intersection – delivering a safer crossing for pedestrians and more space for heavy vehicles to navigate.”

Temporary measures including concrete blocks, new signs and shortened wait times for pedestrians were brought in last year.

Southbank Residents Association president Tony Penna said: “I’m content that what they are doing will make the intersection safer.’’

But he urged the government to consider giving banned vehicles access to the tunnels.

“There’s a higher risk of accidents on congested roads than in the tunnels,’’ he said.