Maroondah City Council

Local Area Access Program (LAAP) – Pedestrian Links Through Croydon

Picture 1: Pedestrian access behind Main Street leading to Croydon Station - before project.

Picture 2: Pedestrian access behind Main Street leading to Croydon Station - after project.

In mid 2008, Maroondah City Council successfully completed pedestrian infrastructure improvements throughout the Croydon Town Centre as part of the Department of Transport’s LAAP funding scheme.
The project addressed the poor connectivity, accessibility and the safety of pedestrians and cyclists traveling between Croydon’s three shopping precincts. 

This was achieved by formalising the pedestrian routes through the Croydon Town Centre with; additional zebra crossings at Croydon Station, new pedestrian crossing across Civic Square, pram ramp realignments, tactile ground surface indicator tiles installation, additional directional signage and the realignment and widening of the footpath through Croydon Oval Park to become a shared pathway.
There now exists a virtually uninterrupted path of travel for pedestrians and cyclist that connects Croydon Station to Main Street, the Arndale Shopping Centre and community facilities in the Croydon Town Centre.

Tarralla Creek Trail Upgrades and Canterbury Road Pedestrian Crossing

Picture 3: The Signalised Pedestrian Crossing on Canterbury Road  

Maroondah City Council has been conducting infrastructure improvements along the Tarralla Creek Trail.  These capital works are nearing completion.  Sections of the trail have been rebuilt to reduce gradients, widen narrow sections and improve the overall surface of the trail. 

Council also worked closely with VicRoads to install a NEW signalised pedestrian crossing where the trail meets Canterbury Road.  The crossing allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross Canterbury Road safely and conveniently.
The Tarralla Creek Trail follows the waterway corridor through many of Maroondah’s parks and recreation facilities.  The shared pathway provides a major pedestrian and cycling link from the Dandenong Creek Trail to the Croydon Town Centre.

Maroondah Principal Pedestrian Network

In March 2009, Maroondah City Council adopted the Maroondah Principal Pedestrian Network.  This network identifies the significant pedestrian routes across the municipality, which will enable residents to access their local shops, schools, stations, bus stops and other community facilities by walking. 

The network was a result of community consultation and a comprehensive review of the existing pedestrian network in Maroondah.  It has identified where further pedestrian infrastructures will be required to complete the network.
In conjunction with the Footpath Construction Policy, the Maroondah Principal Pedestrian Network provides Council with a mechanism to prioritise the future construction of pedestrian infrastructure in Maroondah.

Maroondah City Council began the implementation of the Maroondah Principal Pedestrian Network in 2009, with the construction of footpaths in Ringwood. 

Picture 4: One of the Recently Constructed Footpaths

Bayswater North Primary School TravelSmart Program

Maroondah City Council, with funding assistance from the Department of Transport’s TravelSmart Program worked with the staff, students and the Bayswater North Primary School community to develop and implement a school travel plan.  The travel plan included a range of initiatives aimed at encouraging students to walk or cycle to school.  Since the implementation of the travel plan in September 2008, the number of students choosing to walk to school continues to steadily increase.  

The program also contained a capital works component, which involved upgrading of the school crossing on Allambanan Drive and the shared pathways through Canterbury Gardens that lead to the school.  In addition to these capital works, Maroondah City Council has also installed new supervised school crossings on Burdekin Avenue and New Street in Bayswater North.

 Picture 5: New School Crossing on Allambanan Drive

Other news

Read the news story One step at a time in the Maroondah/Yarra Ranges Journal  of how the Maroondah mayor Alex Makin has returned his mayoral vehicle to use public transport and walk to council appointments.