Plan to revamp Swan St Bridge to relieve traffic jams

UPDATE: ONE of Melbourne's worst traffic bottlenecks, Swan St Bridge, could be overhauled. | Peninsula Link to open | Editorial

Swan St Bridge

ONE of Melbourne's worst traffic bottlenecks could be overhauled after VicRoads has announced it is investigating options to improve Swan St Bridge.

As thousands flock to the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, VicRoads said it would look at revamping the layout of the bridge over the Yarra, which links the CBD, Melbourne's sporting precinct and the inner east.

Up to 18,000 vehicles use Swan St Bridge to escape the CBD each day and drivers regularly face kilometre-long queues along Alexandra Ave, with a combination of pushing in and road rage.

Motorists are regularly spotted jumping the queue by illegally using the less congested right-turn-only lane dedicated for CityLink traffic and then merging into the left lane in an attempt to beat the queue of law-abiding drivers.

Should an extra lane be added to the Swan St Bridge? Have your say below

The VicRoads announcement is a backflip on its previous position.

It had rejected an RACV proposal to make the CityLink-only lane along Alexandra Ave with bridge lanes to be shared.

RACV also wants the median strip, side verge and taxi rank outside Rod Laver Arena modified so that section of Swan St could become two eastbound lanes.

VicRoads had previously declared in "possible parliamentary questions" prepared in September 2011 for Minister Terry Mulder to arm him in the event of grilling that, "The current lane arrangements and traffic signal timings in Swan St Bridge reflect the traffic demand and are considered by VicRoads to give the best overall benefit to road users."

The documents obtained using Freedom of Information laws dismissed fears that altering or removing the median strip could leave the Government open to legal action from CityLink as a result of traffic being diverted away from the lucrative tollway.

RACV general manager Brian Negus said VicRoads should trial its plan.

"It is really not acceptable for VicRoads to contend that what is there is optimum," Mr Negus said.

Failing to obey a traffic line arrow attracts a fine of $176 and the loss of two demerit points.

Signs approaching the bridge were upgraded in 2011 in a bid to reduce lane jumping.

Opposition infrastructure spokesman Tim Pallas said motorists caught in congestion in Melbourne's key sporting precinct had every right to feel angry and frustrated and the problem had to be fixed.

"Failing to do so, I think, would really just mean they (the State Government) are satisfied with the level of congestion and really it's deliberately implemented in order to drive people out of cars and to find alternative transport modes,'' Mr Pallas said.

He said another solution worth considering was scrapping the footpaths on the bridge to create a third eastbound lane and creating a separate pedestrian and cycling bridge.