The Victorian Labor Government will slash congestion on Punt Road with the introduction of 24 hour clearways from St Kilda Junction to Alexandra Avenue.
Clearways will also be introduced for up to 100 metres on either side of Punt Road at Alexandra Avenue, Toorak Road, Commercial Road and High Street.
Premier Daniel Andrews told TWU News that the Government was “getting on with relieving traffic congestion.
“Every Victorian knows the frustration of sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Punt Road, even on the weekend or off-peak,” he said.
VicRoads will undertake a formal compulsory 60 day consultation with local residents and businesses which will close on Sunday, 10 April 2016. Clearways are expected to be in place by the middle of the year.
On-street parking south of the Yarra River has caused traffic frustration for decades – reducing two lanes to one and creating unnecessary traffic chaos during non-peak times when parking restrictions don’t apply.
Motorists are currently sitting in traffic along Punt Road with parked cars taking up a lane along this major north-south route. These parked cars contribute to congestion, increase the likelihood of accidents and slow down public transport.
24 hour clearways on Punt Road will end bottlenecks and relieve traffic congestion, improve safety, and provide more consistent and reliable public transport.
The introduction of 24 hour clearways follows extensive community consultation undertaken last year by VicRoads which identified clear support to extend clearways to ease congestion, improve traffic flow and to boost safety for local residents.
To off-set the loss of parking in the area, a number of nearby VicRoads-owned sites have been identified where additional parking for visitors, residents and businesses can be constructed.
While the introduction of clearways is an immediate step towards relieving congestion, the Government is also considering medium and long-terms options to improve the operation of the vital north-south route.
These options will be investigated following the recommendation by the Public Acquisition Overlay Independent Advisory Committee later this year about the future of the current Public Acquisition Overlay on Punt Road.