Work has started on a significant upgrade at the junction of several busy bike routes in North Melbourne.
Just outside the North Melbourne Swimming Pool in Arden Street, Dryburgh Street and Macauley Road join up in a junction that has always been sketchy for bikes and other road users.
The Department of Transport is introducing dedicated right-turn signals that will separate turning vehicles from traffic and pedestrians travelling in other directions.
When completed at the end of January, vehicles will only be able to turn right at a green arrow and will no longer have to look for gaps in oncoming traffic to turn at the intersection.
Bike riders will also be helped by a green bike lane on the left-turn slip lane of Macaulay Road onto Arden Street to help separate the space for cyclists, and the installation of a concrete median to give protection from left-turning vehicles.
From 2013 to 2017, 11 crashes involving right-turning vehicles occurred at the intersection of Macaulay Road, Arden Street and Dryburgh Street, with five crashes resulting in serious injury.
As a result of the upgrade, there will be dedicated right-turn signals on all approaches to the Macaulay Road, Arden Street and Dryburgh Street intersection.
A concrete centre median on Arden Street to prevent high-risk right will turn out of Munster Terrace and Lothian Street.
The project will also be installing a zebra crossing on the left-turn slip lane on Macaulay Road, as you turn onto Arden Street, adding a right-turn lane on Arden Street into Dryburgh Street, and extending the existing right-turn lane on Arden Street to make it easier to turn into Macaulay Road.
As part of the project DoT is installing a dedicated right-hook signal for cyclists at the Arden Street and Abbotsford Street intersection at the next intersection along to prevent crashes and provide a safer connection to existing cycling facilities.
This is notable as the City of Melbourne is currently upgrading Abbotsford Street with separated bike lanes. Consequently, riders will have the option of using Abbotsford Street instead of Dryburgh on the route to Queensberry Street or North Melbourne Station.
Dryburgh is a truck route, so riders may find Abbotsford Street more comfortable.
Dot will also resurface Arden Street from Abbotsford Street through to Laurens Street, and parts of Macaulay Road.
Crews will be onsite Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 3.30pm until the end of January 2021, weather permitting. To minimise disruption to traffic flow during peak hours, resurfacing works will be carried out on weeknights from 8pm to 5am in mid-January.