Thames Promenade traffic safety improvements
Consultation has concluded
Council is responding to community concerns about pedestrian safety along Thames Promenade.
Between 2009 and 2015, Council undertook extensive consultation with residents about traffic safety along Thames Promenade.
In response to community concerns, Council has:
- added a roundabout at the Thames Promenade/Fifth Avenue
- replaced the Chelsea Heights Primary school crossing with pedestrian signal lights
- improved line marking and cycling facilities
- resurfaced the full length of Thames Promenade.
We are now seeking community input on several new proposed safety upgrades.
- Project 1: Pedestrian crossing on Thames Promenade close to Bertrand Road, Chelsea
- Project 2. Thames Promenade & Scotch Parade intersection
- Project 3: Thames Promenade Speed limit reduction to 50kmph
- Project 4: Zebra Crossing with flashing lights outside Chelsea Heights shops
- Project 5: Scotch Parade at Catherine Avenue, Chelsea – Zebra Crossing
Project 1: Pedestrian crossing on Thames Promenade close to Bertrand Road, Chelsea
What is proposed: Install a zebra crossing with flashing lights close to Bertrand Road in Chelsea.
Where:
What would it look like:
(Example of a similar treatment)
Project 2. Thames Promenade & Scotch Parade intersection
What is proposed: Council is responding to community concerns about high traffic speeds on Thames Promenade and pedestrian safety at the busy Scotch Parade intersection. Following a recent traffic study of the area Council is proposing changes to help improve the safety and capacity of the Scotch Parade/ Thames Promenade intersection while still providing safe passage for buses, cyclists and pedestrians. After analysing a number of options, Council is proposed to add traffic light signals to the intersection and create a ‘raised safety platform’ to increase safety by reducing speed at the intersection.
Project diagram:
What would it look like:
(Example of a similar treatment, noting that traffic lights are also proposed)
Project 3: Thames Promenade Speed limit reduction to 50kmph
Concerns have been raised about speeding motorists on Thames Promenade. We are seeking community input on plans to reduce the speed limit on Thames Promenade to 50kmph. Any speed limit reduction would also require the support of VicRoads, which will be sought if the community supports the plan.
Project 4: Zebra Crossing with flashing lights outside Chelsea Heights shops
In response to residents’ concerns about the safety of pedestrians crossing Thames Promenade outside the shops in Chelsea Heights, Council is proposing to install zebra crossings with flashing lights to improve safety for pedestrians.
Where would it be located:
What would it look like:
(example of similar project)
Project 5: Scotch Parade at Catherine Avenue, Chelsea – Zebra Crossing
Council is responding to community concerns about pedestrian safety while crossing Scotch Parade at Catherine Avenue, close to the children’s playground in Bicentennial Park. We are seeking community input on plans to install a zebra crossing (without flashing lights) at the site to improve pedestrian safety.
Where would it be located:
What would it look like:
Support the speed limit reduction and the pedestrian zebra crossings proposed. Walking is very important in this community for access to station, shops and beach and it's good that council is supporting it.
Please also consider making a clear way shops to Wells Rd direction peak hours AM and Wells Rd to shops direction PM peak hour. The increase in housing density and the associated cars that park in the street has caused big delays and frustrated motorists outside a school area. A clear way during peak in each direction should have little impact upon parents needing to park for school drop off and pick up as in reality there are only 6-8 car spots either side causing significant issues. Also if the clearway is only during peak school traffic should have largely cleared. It will be especially important once the much awaited freeway extension is finished and traffic on Thames prom will only increase further.
Project 2.
I disagree with having the raised road for the intersection, as it will only slow down those vehicle owners "who actual look after their vehicles", not trades, buses, or all "those who do not care about their vehicles" this includes all 4x4's.
It could also possible increase vehicular accidents as vehicles "Slowing down rapidly" for the raised section could be "rear-ended" , as I have seen this happen elsewhere.
Yes, install the raised pedestrian section across to the park in the left turning slip lane for greater effect on slowing vehicles.
Project 3.
Reducing the Thames Promenade to 50 Km would only increase government revenue and not really add to a safer road, as drivers do not actual slow down, being now a "Main through road" to and from the freeways, both Eastlink and Peninsula causing further traffic ques and decrease the safety of trying to actually get across Thames Prom at peaks times.
Therefore I would request that speed limits remain at 60 Km being treated as a "Main Road" and is Not classed a "side residential street".
Project 4.
It is great to actually get a Zebra flashing light crossing, but the ideal solution would be to "Upgrade" this to a pedestrian Light controlled crossing. Reasons being that there are several elderly retirement villages in the area and having a medical centre located at the shopping centre, for the complete safety for people of ALL ages trying to cross Thames Promenade especially at the morning and afternoon peak times.
Yes there was a traffic light pedestrian crossing installed at the primary school, but it is only used at school start and end times, meaning it is under utilized for the cost involved in it's installation and still "lolly pop-man supervised". Also school children still travel to and cross at the shops on their bikes & scooters, as they are not allowed to access the school grounds or school car park, so they travel via the local park to the rear of the school yard where they have the bicycle storage cage. On a note, the government has been preaching that school children now need more exercise and are obese, therefore walking up to the shopping traffic light pedestrian crossing would be a great advantage to all.
Another point in this construction.
On the shopping centre side of Thames Prom, the footpath approach needs to be leveled to enable less of a "slope down to the roadway". This is quite steep and sharp/short, which is creating a "trip hazard" including being a problem for mobility scooters as their rear "anti-tip" wheel most of the time get stuck on the sharp curb ramp.
This approach to the proposed crossing needs to be addressed at the time of construction by reducing the steep gradient on the shops side.
If this flashing light Zebra crossing is installed instead of a light controlled crossing, then I would hope and suggest that after the installation our local police are advised to patrol the crossing to ensure that motorists actually obey and stop for pedestrians on the crossing because of my own experience at this school crossing, I see many drivers still go through the red light when the "lolly-pop flag man is not there, especially vehicles coming off / from the freeway and Wells road end.
Thank you for reading my feedback and I am hopeful for a better upgrade to traffic light controlled crossing to be installed giving a much greater safety of our local residents.