Darebin

Local Area Access Program (LAAP) Re-prioritising Signals for Pedestrians

The City of Darebin was successful in acquiring funding through the Department of Transport’s LAAP funding scheme in 2009 to implement a project to reprioritise pedestrians at traffic signals.

The project will work closely with VicRoads to make key signal sites for pedestrians friendlier, safer and more convenient than currently. This will be done by conventional methods such as increased crossing time, decreasing wait times for pedestrians, and installation of PUFFIN sensors, as well as trialling new, innovative technologies including light-emitting-diodes installed in the road surface.

LAAP Macleod to LaTrobe Shared Path

The City of Darebin has recently completed the installation of a high-quality shared path link between Macleod Train Station and La Trobe University on Bundoora.

The 2km link – made possible with Department of Transport Local Area Access Program (LAAP) funding – filled a crucial gap in access to La Trobe University, which has over 26,000 students, as well as the adjacent business park with hundred of employees.

The path boasts detailed totem signage as well as good lighting for year-round use.

LAAP Pipe Bridge

Early 2009 saw Darebin once again successful in acquiring Department of Transport LAAP funding, this time to partner with the City of Yarra and Melbourne Water to construct perhaps the most vital North-South connection for pedestrians and cyclists in Darebin – across the Merri Creek, as an alternative to St Georges Road.

The corridor was identified through both the Merri Creek Trail Review and the North-South Links Report as a crucial link for commuters using active transport. It also marks a raised standard of partnership between agencies in working together to achieve multiple outcomes from a single piece of infrastructure.

Raised Crossings and Threshold Treatments

The City of Darebin now installs raised threshold treatments at all local/arterial road intersections when road resurfacing occurs. This emphasises the pedestrian priority and calms vehicle traffic at these intersections.

School crossing

Darebin has also installed a number of raised crossings, particularly around schools. This began with ‘Wombat Crossings’ at Fairfield Primary School (raised pedestrian crossings) and has continued with raised school crossings at other locations. Like raised threshold treatments, raised crossings emphasise pedestrian priority as well as calming vehicular traffic.

Parking Day

The City of Darebin was one of the first Victorian councils to celebrate PARK(ing) day, in September 2008.

PARK(ing) day aims to challenge the view that roads are a car’s territory – after all, roads are public space.

An on-road car parking space is reallocated for the day to people, with turf, deck chairs, pot plants – basically a mini, temporary park. Locals and passers-by get a positive glimpse into the benefits of using public space for people, not for cars, and it’s a whole lot o fun in the process.

Advocating for 40km/hr speed limits

The City of Darebin advocates for lower speed limits in Darebin activity centre - an action outlined in both the Darebin Transport Strategy and the Darebin Safe Travel Strategy.

The City of Darebin is currently advocating for lower speed limits for the southern section of High St, and recently successfully advocated for a reduction of the limit from 50 km/hr to 40 km/hr in a section of Station St, Fairfield – a local centre.

Lower speed limits for vehicles create a more pedestrian friendly environment, has strong positive effects on pedestrian safety, and decreases the greenhouse gas emissions from cars. Lower speed limits result in increased actual and perceived levels of road safety resulting in greater uptake of active travel options

Walking Strategy

Over the past year the City of Darebin has developed a Walking Strategy, using the same inclusive, collaborative and transparent model used in the Development of the Darebin Transport Strategy a year earlier.

The development of the walking strategy comes after Darebin was one of the first metropolitan Melbourne Councils to sign the International Charter for Walking.

The Darebin Walking Strategy aims to:

- increase the proportion of journeys undertaken by foot
- reduce the number of pedestrian casualty crashes in Darebin from 52 per annum by 30% by 2017
- to increase the number of pedestrians using selected local intersections by 10% per annum