Council Minutes - Section B: Reports - 30 April 2019

Central Geelong – Kilgour St to Malop St

Barwon River to Kilgour Street

Latrobe Boulevard and Kardinia Park>

Moorabool Street Bridge, Yarra Street, Lonsdale Street and Carr Street

Conclusion

Moorabool Street and Kardinia Park

Conclusion

Moorabool Street and Carr Street

Conclusion

Appendix A: City of Greater Geelong Strategies

Improved Health and Safety of Our Community

Effective Environmental Management

Integrated Transport Connections

Appendix B: Council Meeting Minutes – Adoption of PBN

Appendix C: Council Meeting Minutes – G21 Priority Bicycle Network - Projects

Introduction

The purpose of this document is to collate the information that has informed and supported the development of the Building Better Bike Connections Southern Link.

The City of Greater Geelong has identified a need to create and improve facilities to allow more people to ride bikes for transport in and around Geelong. This will create a more sustainable transport system into the future and help our community experience the health, environmental, economic and social benefits that cycling can bring to a city.

The City has been successful in obtaining funding from the TAC for the Building Better Bike Connections –Southern Link project. The project aims to create a cycle link from Geelong’s southern suburbs such as Waurn Ponds and Belmont, to Central Geelong.

Cycling and Active Transport

Cycling is an important part of a sustainable transport system. Research shows that commuters with an average level of fitness are typically attracted to ride for trips of up to about 10km. This makes cycling a viable commuting option for a large portion of Geelong residents. Cycling is an inexpensive and accessible form of transport for people of all ages and abilities, including those who are too young or unable to drive.

From September 2016 to May 2017, the City listened to over 16,000 people about what they value in our region. They shared ideas about how to address challenges we’re facing now and in the future. From this engagement the clever and creative vision was formed. The community’s aspiration for transport in Greater Geelong was for a fast, reliable and connected transport network. This includes developing a sustainable, connected and networked system for walking, cycling and public transport, allowing people of all abilities into and across Greater Geelong.

Greater Geelong is experiencing increasing pressure on our road network due to a heavy reliance and dependence on cars as a primary source of transport for short and long trips. Greater Geelong’s population growth is currently about 2.6 per cent, which is higher than the state average, and continues to add pressure on our road network.

A Census data survey from 2011 examined 11,822 commuter trips into Central Geelong, finding that 88 per cent of trips were made by car, with an average of 1.09 people in each car.

The remaining commuter trips into Central Geelong were: walking (6 per cent), public transport (4 per cent) and cycling (2 per cent). The majority (70 per cent) of these trips were less than 10km, which is within comfortable cycling distance, yet just 8 per cent of people walked or cycled into Central Geelong.

Cycling for transport, provides many benefits for our community, including:

Accessible transport
Health
Environment and sustainability, and
Urban Design.

Given its many benefits for our community, cycling and active transport is embedded in many of the City’s strategies and plans to help us deliver these outcomes to Greater Geelong residents.

The following plans and strategies contain actions relating to active transport:

Council Plan 2018 –2022
Clever and Creative Future Vision
Integrated Comprehensive Transport Plan 2015
Road Safety Strategy 2012–2017
Geelong Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2018–2021
Greater Geelong Physical Activity Strategy 2014 –2017
Environmental Management Strategy 2014–2017
Central Geelong Action Plan 2013
Central Geelong Car Parking and Access Strategy 2013
Central Geelong: Looking Forward Structure Plan 2007
Central Geelong Urban Design Guidelines 2008.

See Appendix A for more details of strategies and plans that consider active transport.

Building Better Bike Connections

Traditionally, facilities for cyclists have been painted bike lanes next to traffic. This style of road treatment only caters for a small portion of the population, typically younger males that are more confident and more willing to take risks.

The Victorian Cycling Strategy 2018–28 states:

About 60 per cent of Victorians are curious about cycling and like to ride, but they don’t cycle, or cycle less, because they want a safer, lower-stress, better-connected network and a more inclusive cycling culture. If we had such a network and culture, four in 10 Victorians say they would be encouraged to cycle, or cycle more often, to destinations close to where they live. They would be attracted by the comfort and safety of the cycling experience, the predictability of the journey time and the low cost.

This is where the biggest shift towards cycling can be achieved. To attract this section of the population to cycling, they require facilities that separate and protect them from motor vehicles.

Cities like Sydney, Vancouver and Portland have shown that providing separation from motorists can generate a significant increase in the number of cyclists, and attract a higher percentage of female riders.

Principal Bicycle network

The Principal Bicycle Network (PBN) is a network of on-road and off-road routes that provide cyclists with safe, accessible and connected cycling routes in Geelong. The aim of the PBN is to elevate the importance of selected routes within the overall bicycle network and to prioritise future works to improve conditions for cyclists.

A state-wide process was undertaken to expand the PBN from metropolitan Melbourne to regional Victoria, expanding on existing municipal bicycle networks.

Council endorsed the proposed PBN for Greater Geelong at its meeting on 28 January 2014 (See Appendix B for the Council Meeting Minutes)

Strategic Cycling Corridors

Strategic Cycling Corridors (SCC) are the main corridors of the bicycle network and are part of the PBN. These corridors provide links to major destinations and employment precincts.

The four key criteria used by the City to ensure that the corridors are successful in attracting the highest number of riders were:

Safety,
Directness,
Connectivity, and
Road use and transport planning.

The aim of these corridors is to provide facilities that cater for the widest range of cyclists, considering their confidence level, ability and providing access for people of all ages. In considering these criteria, corridors should either separate cyclists from other traffic or be in areas that have low speed limits and low traffic volume environments where cyclists and cars can safely share the road.

The Southern Link

The Southern Link is a Strategic Cycling Corridor connecting Central Geelong with Belmont, Highton and Waurn Ponds.

The objective of this corridor is to provide a safe and direct link between residential areas and shopping centres at Waurn Ponds and Belmont, Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds and Waterfront campuses, The Gordon, Geelong and South Geelong train stations and Central Geelong.

It aims to provide, where possible, cycle facilities that separate cyclists from cars and other traffic.

This link has been broken into three segments:

Stage 1 – Barwon River to Central Geelong (also previously called Barwon to Bay)
Stage 2 – High Street – Mt Pleasant Road to Roslyn Road
Stage 3 – Remaining sections of High Street and Colac Road to Waurn Ponds.

Barwon to Bay

The section of the Southern Link from the Barwon River to Central Geelong and Corio Bay is the most important segment in the Southern Link and one of the most critical links in Geelong’s bicycle network.

With approximately 25 per cent of Greater Geelong’s population living south of the Barwon River within the 3216 postcode, it’s important to provide a safe and direct link to major destinations north of the river. This includes shopping and employment areas in Central Geelong, and the South Geelong Train Station – the closest station for many Belmont and Highton residents.

It also links the Barwon River trails and the Bellarine Rail Trail to each other and to Central Geelong.

Vehicles are currently funnelled to just four river crossings between Breakwater and Queens Park. With high population growth in areas south of Geelong, such as Armstrong Creek, pressure on these crossings will only increase.

However, the constraint of limited river crossings also provides a great opportunity. Cyclists from the south of the river are channelled to a small number of north-south routes, meaning that a single, well-designed cycle facility has the potential to be a direct route for a large portion of our population.

Project to Date

Following Council’s endorsement of the PBN in January 2014, four key cycling projects supporting the PBN were put forward to be endorsed. These were presented at the Council meeting on 25 February 2014 (See Appendix C for Council Meeting Minutes).

The projects were:

Moorabool Street Bridge Cycling Connection
Northern Suburbs Cycling Link
Corio Quay Road Shared Path Upgrade
Barwon to Bay Cycleway Design and Construction.

Council carried a motion to:

Write to the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development seeking funding support for the Barwon to the Bay cycle way; and
Liaise with VicRoads to seek funding for cycling improvement works on the arterial road network.

In 2016, the Victorian Government announced a $100 million Safer Cyclists and Pedestrian Fund, to be funded and managed by TAC and VicRoads.

Strategic Cycling Corridors across Victoria were assessed and prioritised in both regional and metropolitan areas. The highest priorities were workshopped in early 2017, with successful projects announced in late 2017.

The City of Greater Geelong had two projects that were successful in obtaining funding. They were the Western Link, through Geelong West, and the Southern Link.

The City of Greater Geelong has run engagement activities on both projectsduring2018. These are detailed in the Engagement section of this document.

Route Assessments

The Barwon River to Central Geelong segment of the Southern Link is anchored around the use of the shared path on the western side of the Moorabool Street Bridge. The bridge provides a Barwon River crossing in the most direct line with Central Geelong, also providing connections to the Barwon River trail, on both sides of the river.

There are a number of potential routes that could be used to link the bridge to Central Geelong. These were assessed against the following criteria:

Safety
Directness
Connectivity, and
Road use and transport planning.

Cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users and are very susceptible to serious injury in a crash. Speed plays a major factor with the risk of a fatal outcome in a crash increasing significantly at speeds over 40km/h.

Where traffic volumes and speeds are low, cyclists can more safely mix with cars. However where speeds are higher, over 40km/h, it is best practice to pursue an option that separates cyclists and cars.

Anywhere that cars and cyclists come together at intersections or property accesses, warning devices and changes to the environment are often required to ensure that riders are safe and can be seen.

Safety, or even perceived safety, on the road plays a major role in the decisions people make about whether or not to ride a particular route. Safe cycling facilities are the key to attracting riders of all ages and abilities and ensuring that it caters to the largest number of people in our community,

Riders are generally attracted to routes that provide them with the most direct link from point A to point B.

Diverting cyclists away from the most direct route not only results in increased trip times but also requires them to exert more energy, unlike car drivers.

To provide a facility that is highly used, it must connect effectively to key destinations, like shopping and employment precincts and transport hubs, such as train stations. These destinations attract large numbers of vehicle movements and have the greatest ability to attract more people to use bikes for transport.

A route with poor connections will restrict the number of people who use the facility, and it may also require additional facilities to be built on parallel routes.

Central Geelong – Kilgour St to Malop St

Road space is a finite resource. In general, there are limited opportunities to provide more space on a road in an urban environment due to things such as existing buildings and services.

Road use and transport planning is important in managing the competing interests of different transport modes in this limited road space.

Transport planning looks at the wider road network to prioritise different transport modes on different roads. It also considers land use and road characteristics. This type of planning aims to:

Facilitate good pedestrian access into and within activity centres in periods of high demand
Prioritise buses on key public transport routes that link activity centres
Encourage ‘through traffic’ to use alternative routes around activity centres
Encourage bicycles by further developing the bicycle network
Prioritise trucks on important transport routes that link freight hubs and reduce their conflict with other transport modes and activity centres.

There were three north-south routes through Central Geelong considered for the Southern Link: Yarra Street, Moorabool Street and Gheringhap Street.

Yarra Street

Yarra Street is designated as a motor vehicle traffic route in the draft Network Operating Plan for Central Geelong. Trying to prioritise another transport mode (bicycles) in this space would compromise its traffic function. Taking this into account, Yarra Street is not recommended as a cycling route.

Moorabool Street

Moorabool Street provides direct access into the heart of Central Geelong. It is designated as a bicycle and bus priority route in the draft Network Operating Plan.

To provide a cycling facility in this space requires significant changes to the current street layout. Moorabool Street will be prioritised for a major review as part of the Central Geelong Revitalisation Project.

Gheringhap Street

Gheringhap Street provides direct access to Deakin University, Central Geelong’s cultural precinct, key employers such as Work Safe, NDIA and TAC and is close to the Geelong Train Station and The Gordon.

Gheringhap Street has two lanes in each direction and angled parking on both sides of the road. A cycle lane in each direction could be installed between parking and kerb by reducing the traffic lanes to one in each direction.

Intersections are critical to maintaining manageable traffic volume. Keeping the same number of lanes at intersections, and removing a lane in each direction between intersections will have minimal impact on Gheringhap Street’s traffic volume capacity.

There is a reduction in car parking bays from 192 to 151, spread along the length of Gheringhap Street.

Recommendation

That cycle facilities be installed on Gheringhap Street due to its connectivity to destinations and its ability to accommodate cycle lanes.

In the future, the possibility of installing cycle facilities and streetscape works along Moorabool Street, to complement the cycle network in and around Central Geelong, will be explored as part of the Central Geelong Revitalisation Project.

Barwon River to Kilgour Street

In January 2018, the City of Greater Geelong presented a proposal to the community that identified Moorabool Street, Carr Street and Gheringhap Street as the most suitable route.

A traders group presented plans for alternative routes to the east and west of Moorabool Street. These routes have also been assessed against the same criteria.

Latrobe Boulevard and Kardinia Park

The most western route assessed directs north bound cyclists left from the Moorabool Street Bridge into Barwon Terrace. From there they turn right into Latrobe Boulevard, crossing Fyans Street into Hopkins Street, then continuing through the western side of Kardinia Park. The route then crosses the train line at Kilgour Street to Gheringhap Street.

The on-road section of cycle lanes could be delivered with a kerb separating cyclists and cars. The off-road section through Kardinia Park provides an environment that separates cyclists from traffic.

Fyans Street is an arterial road carrying a high volume of traffic, with a large number of commercial and heavy vehicles. The intersection with Latrobe Boulevard is currently uncontrolled and would require a set of traffic signals to help cyclists cross safely.

This route also crosses the train line at a level crossing on Kilgour Street.

This route is 400m longer than the most direct route along Moorabool Street and Carr Street.

The route connects well to the Kardinia Park swimming pool and sports facilities.

It has no connection to the Bellarine Rail Trail or to South Geelong Train Station – a key destination for this project.

As noted in the safety criteria, a set of signals is required to enable cyclists to cross Fyans Street. Fyans Street is an arterial road, managed by VicRoads. Fyans Street is an important freight and traffic route through South Geelong.

The freight function of Fyans Street will play major role in reducing heavy vehicle movements through Central Geelong. As such, an additional set of traffic signals on Fyans Street is not supported by either VicRoads or Transport for Victoria.

An additional set of traffic signals at Latrobe Boulevard would also have negative impacts on the existing signalised intersection at Latrobe Terrace and would be effected by traffic queuing.

Planning is underway to duplicate the rail line between Geelong and South Geelong. This will require cyclists to cross additional train lines and may increase the frequency of services. This will impact safety and cause delay to cyclists.

Parking would also need to be removed from one side of the road to along Latrobe Boulevard, resulting in the loss of 21 or 34 spaces, depending on the side of the road used. This parking is directly outside businesses and homes, and is difficult to offset in the immediate area.

Moorabool Street Bridge, Yarra Street, Lonsdale Street and Carr Street

A set of traffic signals would be required on Fyans Street, at the intersection of Latrobe Boulevard, to ensure the safety of cyclist on this route. As these signals are not supported by VicRoads or Transport for Victoria and cannot be installed, this route cannot be recommended.

The lack of connectivity to the South Geelong Train Station and Bellarine Rail Trail are additional reasons why this route cannot be recommended.

Southern Link - route options and impacts - Moorabool Street bridge, Yarra Street, Lonsdale Street and Carr Street

This route has north bound cyclists turning left at the end of the Moorabool Street bridge and using the ramp to get to the Barwon River trail. From there they head east to the end of Yarra Street, crossing over Barwon Terrace.

The cycle facility would be a one-way cycle lane on each side of Yarra Street, separated from traffic or car parking by a kerb. This would continue to Lonsdale Street where cyclists would turn and use the existing separated two-way lane.

New signals would be installed at the intersection of Lonsdale Street and Moorabool Street, where cyclists would cross to travel along Carr Street to Gheringhap Street.

This route is proposed to have a kerb between cyclists and traffic to physically separate them.

Given the number of side roads and access points, the cycle lanes proposed are one-way on both sides of the road. There are four additional side road crossings than the proposal for Moorabool Street.

Side roads and access point crossings would be treated with a green surface to help raise driver awareness of the cycle lane.

This route is 500m longer than the Moorabool Street and Carr Street route.

It requires cyclists heading in to Central Geelong to travel one block east before travelling back two blocks west.

This route connects directly to the South Geelong Train Station and the Bellarine Rail Trail.

The traffic signals at Lonsdale Street also provide a safe pedestrian connection from the train station to the Kardinia Park precinct.

Due to the width of Yarra Street, parking is required to be removed from one side of the street to install protected cycle lanes on both sides of the street. This would require the removal of approximately 49 car parks directly in front of 23 properties.

These car parks could be replaced in side roads by converting parallel parking to angle parking, however they would not allow residents to park outside their properties.

Yarra Street is designated as a motor vehicle traffic route in the draft Network Operating Plan for Central Geelong. Trying to prioritise another transport mode (bicycles) in this space would compromise its traffic function. Transport for Victoria has stated that major cycling infrastructure on Yarra Street conflicts with the draft Network Operating Plan and is not supported.

Moorabool Street and Kardinia Park

The removal of parking in this route would have a greater impact on adjacent properties than alternative routes.

The route is very indirect and would struggle to attract cyclists to use it, other than those going to the South Geelong Train Station.

Given that it also does not align with the transport planning objectives for the surrounding area, this route is not recommended for the Southern Link.

Southern Link - route options and impacts - Moorabool Street and Kardinia Park

This route uses a two-way cycle lane on the western side of Moorabool Street, between the Moorabool Street Bridge and Park Crescent. At Park Crescent it then becomes an off-road path on the eastern side of the Kardinia Park stadium.

The path joins Kilgour Street west of the rail line. It then crosses the rail line and travels along Kilgour Street to Gheringhap Street.

The Moorabool Street section is designed with a kerb between cyclists and traffic to physically separate the two.

It is proposed to ban the right turn from Moorabool Street for cars travelling west on Little Fyans Street. This is to avoid a conflict with south-bound cyclists. Traffic can access Little Fyans Street by using alternatives routes along Fyans Street and Latrobe Boulevard.

The left turn into the eastern side of Little Fyans Street would be banned during the morning peak, but allowed throughout the rest of the day.

At the Fyans Street and Moorabool Street intersection, the cycle lane is set six metres to the west (on Fyans Street) so drivers turning left into Fyans Street can better see cyclists and pedestrians and not hold up traffic continuing straight (north) on Moorabool Street.

There are uncontrolled property accesses including the Shell service station, Bob Jane T Mart and Smiths Holden. It would be proposed to use signage, coloured pavement and possible flashing lights to warn drivers of the two way bike movements in the area.

The off-road section through Kardinia Park provides an environment that separates cyclists from traffic.

This route also crosses the train line at a level crossing on Kilgour Street.

This route is 100m longer than the Moorabool Street and Carr Street route.

The route connects well to the Kardinia Park Stadium and sports facilities.

It has no connection to the Bellarine Rail Trail or the South Geelong Train Station, a key destination for this project.

As per the Moorabool Street and Carr Street route, the Moorabool Street section will have similar impact parking and turn lanes between the Moorabool Street Bridge and Fyans Street.

The existing painted median strip would be removed and the traffic lanes and car parking shifted over to accommodate a cycle lane between the parking and kerb. This removes the turning lanes at Little Fyans Street.

For the safety of cyclists, the right turn into the western side of Little Fyans Street would be banned. The right turn into the eastern side would also be banned but only in the morning peak hour. This will improve safety and limit the potential of a rear end crash in the busy morning peak hour.

Two parking bays would be removed north of Little Fyans Street, leaving one existing car park. To offset this impact, the nearby bus stop, south of Little Fyans Street, could be moved further south. This will allow three additional car parks to be created in its place.

Relocating the bus stop further south, away from businesses, will require removing two existing car parks.

This option provides five carparks close to the intersection of Little Fyans Street.

There is planning underway to duplicate the rail line between Geelong and South Geelong. This may increase the frequency of services, causing additional delay to cyclists, and will require cyclists to cross additional lines impacting safety. Rail lines are an extreme slip hazard to cyclists.

Moorabool Street and Carr Street

The lack of connectivity to the South Geelong Train Station and Bellarine Rail Trial is the reason that this route cannot be recommended.

Southern Link - route options and impacts - Moorabool and Carr Streets

This route uses Moorabool Street and Carr Street to connect to Gheringhap Street. This proposal is designed with a two way cycle lane, separated from traffic, on the western side of Moorabool Street. And a two way off-road path on the southern side of Carr Street.

This route is designed to use a kerb to separate cyclists and traffic.

Twoway bike lanes work under specific circumstances, such as when there are limited side roads and accesses. Kardinia Park limits the number of side roads and property access points along this route. A two-way path on the western side of Moorabool Street, between Fyans Street and Carr Street, eliminates four side road crossings and five property access points for south bound cyclists.

This makes the route safer for cyclists travelling in the two-way lane on the western side of Moorabool Street.

There are two uncontrolled intersections at Park Crescent and Little Fyans Street. At Park Crescent the cycle lane is shifted six metres back from the intersection. This allows vehicles turning right from Moorabool Street to better see oncoming traffic, and cyclists and pedestrians. Vehicles also have better vision to look both ways as they are square to the crossing.

It is proposed to ban the right turn from Moorabool Street into the western side of Little Fyans Street to avoid a conflict with south bound cyclists.

Traffic can easily access Little Fyans Street by using alternative routes along Fyans Street and Latrobe Boulevard.

At the Fyans and Moorabool street intersection, the cycle lane is set back six metres to allow vehicles turning left ( heading west along Fyans Street) to better see cyclists and pedestrians using the path and to avoid holding up traffic heading straight (north) on Moorabool Street.

There uncontrolled property accesses along Moorabool Street, including the Shell service station, Bob Jane T Mart and Smiths Holden.

It is proposed to use signage, coloured pavement and lights to warn drivers of the two-way bike movements in the area.

This route provides the most direct route between the Moorabool Street Bridge and Gheringhap Street.

This is the most central route to Central Geelong and provides a spine that can be used by people accessing either the east, west or middle of Central Geelong. This will encourage more cyclists to use a single and safest route, and will reduce the need for extra facilities on parallel routes.

A set of traffic signals installed at the intersection of Lonsdale Street and Moorabool Street will provide a separated connection through to the South Geelong Train Station. There is an existing two-way separated lane on the northern side of Lonsdale Street.

This route also connects to the Bellarine Rail Trail, linking it with the Barwon River trail. This would help develop an extensive high-quality network linking our region’s cycling trails and also provide great recreation and tourism opportunities.

It also provides a safe pedestrian connection from the Geelong Train Station to the Kardinia Park Precinct.

The cycle lanes use the current car parking space on the western side of the road, between Fyans Street and Carr Street. There are 47 car parks, most have no time restrictions, and are typically used by workers.

It is proposed to offset 31 of these car parks in the nearby side streets, Carr Street and Balliang Street. This can be achieved by converting some of the parallel parks to angled parks and line marking car parks in areas that are not marked.

Following discussions with the Kardinia Park Trust, an area of the existing gravel car park outside Gate 5 would be sealed and line marked. This will create more car parks and would help offset parking losses on Moorabool Street.

These offset car parks will still provide the same opportunities for workers to park all day and conveniently walk to work.

Between the Moorabool Street Bridge and Fyans Street, the existing painted median strip will be removed to accommodate a cycle lane between car parks and the kerb. This removes the turning lanes at Little Fyans Street.

For the safety of cyclists, the right turn into the Little Fyans Street (for traffic heading west) will be banned. The right turn into the eastern side will be also be banned but only in the morning peak-hour traffic. This will also limit the potential of a rear end crash during busy morning traffic periods.

Two parking bays would be removed north of Little Fyans Street, leaving one existing car park. To offset this impact, the nearby bus stop, south of Little Fyans Street, will be moved further south. This will create three car parks close to businesses north of Little Fyans Street.

Relocating the bus stop further south, away from businesses, will require removing two existing car parks. This option provides 5 carparks close to the intersection of Little Fyans Street.