Bicycle Network: Metro Routes

Starting at Melbourne Airport at one end and finishing at Docklands, this trail has great destinations to make it an excellent recreation or commuter route.

Nursery Bend on the mend

28 June 2011. A $350,000 project to upgrade the Moonee Ponds Creek path at Nursery Bend in Strathmore and Ormond Park in Moonee Ponds has opened.

The improvements take out some difficult curves and widen the path which was degraded in places.

The council contributed $250,000 to the upgrade and secured $100,000 from the federal government's regional and local community infrastructure program for the rest of the budget.

“There were sharp corners at Nursery Bend and Ormond Park and these improvements make the path safer for people who walk or ride a bike,” said Deputy Mayor James Rankin, who rides the route regularly.

Wills federal Labor MP Kelvin Thomson said up to 600 people used the path each day.

“What a great example this region is setting for a sustainable and green future, ” Mr Thompson said.

Cr Rankin and Mr Thompson helped Strathmore North Primary School students plant a tree at the opening of the Nursery Bend section of the path last Tuesday.

Jacana descent improved

15 June 201i. A difficult and steep section of the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail at Jacana is being improved to make it more suitable for a full range of recreational riders.

The section of the path north of M80 Ring Road is being modified and this week will be linked in to the existing network.

The initial changes, a consequence of work to widen the M80, were poorly planned and executed.

The plans for temporary paths around the construction zones were never implemented.

The route of the path was changed without consultation and for reasons that have never been made public.

These latest modifications may ameliorate some of the problems.

See map for the new alignment.

During these works this week the Tulla Alliance will endeavour to keep the path open.

However, to ensure the safety of all users and staff, they ask that all cyclists walk their bikes through the worksites and follow instructions provided by staff who will be onsite to guide pedestrians and cyclists around the work zone.

The works will be rescheduled to the next available day in the event of bad weather.

Moonee Ponds Trail underpass blocked

5 May 2011. The underpass near the junction of Mount Alexander Road and the Capitol City and Moonee Ponds Creek Trails is temporarily closed while the structure is rebuilt.

Riders will be detoured for the next two weeks while work takes place.

During this period, bike traffic will be detoured from 7.00am to 3.30pm daily. Cyclists can cross Racecourse Road in a safe manner by utilising the pedestrian signals at the signalised Citylink in-bound on-ramp intersection.

To ensure safety at all times, a traffic controller will monitor and assist cyclists whilst crossing Racecourse Road at the intersection.

Later, in August 2011, a temporary closure of the shared path will be required for two days to paint the bridge.

Informational signage is to be installed at both shared path approaches advising users of the scheduled works and closure times.

Saturdays are also on schedule but only as required, the times for the temporary closure will be 7.00am to 2.30pm for this period.

A map of the detour has not yet been supplied.

Path care at Nursery Bend

21 February 2011. A section of the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail has been closed from today to enable the reconstruction of blind corners which were hazardous to riders.

An on-road detour is in place which will require awareness and care. The route is also shared with motorists and is busy at the start and end of the school day approximately 8:30 to 9 am and 3:15 to 3:45 pm.

The closed section is near Strathmore Primary School and will be closed from 21 February to end of May 2011.

The alternative route for walkers and cyclists will be the Strathnaver Reserve Access Road, Mascoma Street and Odin Street. Please refer to the map.

This project is funded through the Australian Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program and will improve safety, sightlines and the path surface.

Moonee Valley Council states that at all stages of the works the contractors will endeavour to minimise disruption to users and maintain access as far as practicable.

Diversion in place during construction

29 September 2010. The TullaAlliance have provided this map to outline the temporary diversion whilst the wideniong construction of the Ring Road Overpass takes place.

NOTE: The undertakings made to Bicycle Network Victoria regarding the diversions in this project have not been met, and it appears the contractors have no intention of doing so.

Changes to Moonee Ponds Creek Trail at Ring Road

14 September 2010. The route of the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail will be altered for two years while a new bridge is built on the Western Ring Road.

The existing trail will be closed while the 7 lane, 250 metre bridge is constructed, and riders will move on to a detour. See map.

Works include:

• A new shared user path on the south of the M80 Ring Road, along the VicRoads road reserve linking the Moonee Ponds Creek trail to Langton Street shared user path.
• A new crossing over the Moonee Ponds Creek on the south of the M80 Ring Road bridge.
• A new shared user path on the north of the M80 Ring Road guiding pedestrians and cyclists from the existing path west towards the Katrina Drive pedestrian crossing.
• A new shared user path along the road reserve to connect Beckett Street North to the Moonee Ponds Creek trail.

The detour is expected to be opened from mid September and will be in place until the end of 2012.

While the detour is in place, the shared user path on the north side of the freeway and under the M80 Ring Road is expected to be closed to pedestrians and cyclists.

Once the path under the M80 Ring Road is re-opened to pedestrians and cyclists, this temporary shared user path diversion will be removed and the area will be revegetated as part of the wider project landscaping strategy.

Cross Keys Reserve to be upgraded (Mel 28K1)

Jan 07 The Moonee Ponds Trail will be upgraded through Cross Keys Reserve as a part of Melbourne Water's improvements to the creek bank. The upgrade of the existing trail is welcomed but it is very dissapointing that Melbourne Water chose not to realign the trail to avoid some tight corners and steep grades as suggested by local riders, Moonee Valley BUG and Moonee Valley Council.

20th birthday celebration

Thursday 21 July 2005 marked the 20th anniversary of the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail's official opening in 1985. Moonee Valley Mayor, Lydia Kauzlaric, made a short speech to students from Penola College in Broadmeadows and Strathmore college who had ridden to Boeing Reserve for the occasion.

Also present were Moreland Mayor Mark Higginbotham and a representative from Melbourne Water and CityLink. Happy Birthday was sung and cake devoured. 

Hume: Line marking required for trail

Marking a centre line along the trail through Jacana Wetlands will help people to navigate the trail network. Trail users often take a wrong turn at intersections where other trails intersect with the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail. These include:

• Western Ring Path (Melway map 6 D11)
• Broadmeadows Valley Trail (Melway map 6 D9)

As part of a signage audit we carried out for Parks Victoria in 2003, signage and line marking at these intersections were recommended.

Trail users often take a wrong turn at the intersection with the Western Ring Path (pictured). Line marking and improved signage will help keep people on the right track.

Moonee Valley: Safety fencing at Bell St, Moreland Rd and Dean St

Jul 05 New safety fencing at Dean St underpass has narrowed the useable space on the trail. After complaints from cyclists council arranged for a site visit to look at the issues and put the proposed Moreland Rd underpass fence on hold until the design issues can be sorted. Part of the safety rail has been removed in the meantime.

CityLink installed a safety fence at the Bell St underpass in 2004 which was a good design as it is set back from the path to provide clearance for pedals and handlebars.

See photo (right). We want to see something similar at Moreland Rd and Dean St underpasses.

Moonee Valley: Strathnaver Reserve

July 05 A Masterplan for Strathnaver Resereve is currently being developed (Melway map 16 D6). We have provided input requesting that the path surface and width meets the standards (3.0m is the ideal, and 2.5m is an acceptable minimum). We also requested centre line marking.

People get lost at this location because they miss the turn across the bridge (Melway 16 D5).>

Marking a broken centre line along the path through Strathnaver Reserve and continuing it across the bridge will help people to stay on the main trail.

A stop line should be marked across the intersecting trail on the west side of the creek, north of the bridge.

The photo of the Main Yarra Trail (right) shows how the white line guides people to turn right at the T-junction from the bridge, rather than making a wrong left hand turn.