Road closures and tree removals herald start of Southbank Boulevard makeover

ROAD closures and tree removals signal the start of the council’s $35 million project to transform Southbank Boulevard into a people-friendly public space.

ROAD closures and tree removals signal the start of the council’s $35 million project to transform Southbank Boulevard into a people-friendly public space.

Southbank Boulevard will close to vehicle traffic between St Kilda Rd and Sturt St from Monday for 10 weeks.

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Dodds St will close and become a public space. Image: City of Melbourne

And 39 trees will be removed this weekend to make room for new road surfaces, tram lines and stops. The first of more than 300 new trees will be planted over the course of the 18-month project.

When finished the new-look thoroughfare will have improved tram stops, open space, parks and 1.2km of new separated bike lanes.

Nearby Dodds St will permanently close to traffic and become a landscaped public space for performances, markets and medium-scale music festivals.

Tram tracks will be surrounded by grass. Image: City of Melbourne

Transformation of Southbank Boulevard will mean more greenery. Image: City of Melbourne

The project is part of the city council’s push to turn “grey to green”.

The road lanes are to reconfigured to cope with traffic volumes, currently about 13,000 cars a day.

The current green median strip will move to the ABC side of the street.

Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood said Southbank Boulevard was being transformed into an “active living green connection” between the Yarra River and the Domain Parklands.

“We’re even getting rid of concrete tram tracks that heat the place up in summer — replacing the concrete with flowering ground covers,’’ Cr Wood said.

New separated bicycle lanes will be created. Image: City of Melbourne

“Whether you live, work or just visit Southbank and the Arts Precinct, this project will make the area a vibrant gateway and one of the nation’s most pedestrian-friendly environments.’’

Southbank is one of the Victoria’s fastest growing suburbs — its population jumped by 66 per cent from 11,235 in 2011 to 18,700 five years later — but has limited public space.

The overall project will be completed in stages with an anticipated end date of February 2020.

@IanRoyall