Bicycle Network: Metro Routes

Parading Royal goes green

18 April 2011. The Royal Parade bike lanes have been upgraded as more cyclists become wedded to the major route to University, hospitals and the Melbourne CBD.

The upgrade along 2.4 kilometres of the boulevard between Park Street and Grattan Street is one of the first bike infrastucture projects unveiled by the new coalition Government.

Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said the new green lanes would improve safety for hundreds of cyclists riding to and from the city each day.

“More and more people are jumping on their bikes to get to work. These improvements mean that they can ride on the road more safely and confidently,” Mr Mulder said.

“Cycling is an important mode of transport that can reduce congestion and improve individual health.

“We hope that safety improvements like this will help to encourage more people to ride to work.”

Mr Mulder said the upgrades to Royal Parade for cyclists included green pavement, line marking and vibra lines (bumpy white lines) to ensure a clear separation between traffic and bicycle lanes.

Mr Mulder said Royal Parade was a very busy road, where some drivers may not see cyclists or may not be aware of the on-road bicycle lanes. In the last recorded five-year period there were 33 crashes involving cyclists on Royal Parade.

Improving cycling lanes by making them more visible to drivers aims to increase safety by keeping cyclists separate from traffic, he said.

Priority Route needs upgrade

March 2010 With just under 1,000 riders heading inbound during the 7-9am peak there is no wonder VicRoads identified this as a priority route in the revised Principle Bicycle Network. The route still has a strong potential to carry more numbers but will need to be upgraded to achieve this goal.

The Haymarket roundabout and its approaches is a high conflict area for riders. In December 2009 VicRoads announced that the interesection was to be fully signalised. Bicycle Network Victoria was consulted last year and the proposed designs would deliver a vast improvement for bikes and the other modes using this complex intersection.

The lanes need to be upgraded and gaps completed (Victoria to Dudley St) along Peel St. There are a few locations where parking has been placed over the bike lane.

Royal Parade enjoys wide bike lanes but could be easily and cost effectively upgraded with green surface treatments at the conflict points and interesection approaches along with the VibraLine line markings as currently being rolled out in Rathdowne, Albert, Gisborne/Macarthur and Collins St.

Williams St was announced has been identified as a priority project under the $38Billion Victorian Transport Plan, as outlined in the Victorian Cycling Strategy. The strategy states, "Improve bicycle facilities along William Street and Latrobe Street as primary routes into and through the CBD."

William St has abundant space with the majority of its length beling a single vehicle lane. It could be cost effectively upgraded and provide a separated facility by using the Albert St design.