Canning & Richardson Street intersection: background to works in Carlton North

Update May 2021: Streets Alive Yarra: Intersection complete at Canning and Richardson: Guest article from local champion, Marcus Coghlan. After approximately two months of work the newly styled and safer intersection is in place at Canning and Richardson Streets. Funded by Blackspot Funding a roundabout has replaced the ineffective, double stop signs. It’s a successful design implemented years ago at the intersection of Canning and Pigdon. Read more

Yarra Council conducted works in early 2021 at the intersection of Canning and Richardson Streets in Carlton North. This intersection is one of the most dangerous for active transport users in inner Melbourne with 22 cyclist crashes over the last five years.

In 2018 Yarra Council received TAC Blackspot funding to study and make recommendations. On initial observations, the new intersection (see images below) appear to be an enhanced design to what exists at Canning and Pigdon Street one block north and will include pedestrian crossings on Richardson.

This intersection is part of the 504 Moonee Ponds – Clifton Hill via East Brunswick bus route.

Background to current works:

1. Streets Alive Yarra: Canning Street runs north south through Carlton North from Park Street to Alexandra Parade and forms one of Melbourne’s best known and used cycling corridors.

2. Yarra Bicycle Advisory Committee Minutes: 20 April 2018: Canning/Richardson Intersection (scroll down)

3. Yarra News: A new roundabout for Canning and Richardson Streets: 15 August 2018

Proposed design: Yarra News: A new roundabout for Canning and Richardson Streets: 15 August 2018

4. Yarra Bicycle Advisory Committee Minutes: 12 June 2019: 2.1 Carlton North LAPM (scroll down)

5. Your Say Yarra: What you told us about Carlton North’s streets
A summary of the first phase of community consultation in August and September 2019, and the second phase in December 2019 and January 2020

6. Your Say Yarra: Social Pinpoint – Draft Carlton North LAPM Plan – Kerb outstand and zebra crossing Canning St and Richardson St intersection

7. Carlton North LAPM plan – 21 May 2020: Planned or Potential Projects Map (scroll down)

8. Notice of Works: Canning and Richardson Street 16 November 2020 (scroll down)

2. Yarra Bicycle Advisory Committee Minutes: 20 April 2018: Canning/Richardson Intersection (pdf file)

“Agenda Item 3: Council has received TAC Blackspot funding to study and make recommendations to improve the Canning/Richardson intersection where there has been 22 cyclist crashes over the last 5 years. Traffic counts and speed data have recently been collected by the consultants. It was found that there are no patterns of excessive speeds by either cars or bikes and that far more bikes travel north-south than vehicles go east-west through the intersection.

The key issue is that east-west motorists fail to fully stop at the second ‘Stop’ sign when they pass through the intersection. In other terms, east-west and right-turning drivers do not take the time or care to look for bike riders so a new design must take this factor into consideration as well as maintain the movements of buses through the intersection.

It was identified that the Pigdon/Canning C-roundabout with speed humps on the east and west approaches as well as the Drummond/Newry intersection in Carlton North were good examples that are currently working well for both cars and bikes. Protected intersections and roundabouts like in the Netherlands are also best practice. In addition, radial C-roundabouts with zebra crossings on each side are effectively used in the USA.

It was agreed that tangential roundabouts do not slow drivers down but irregular shaped roundabouts increase driver awareness of other street users and slow them down. The preference for all roundabouts was for bike riders to share the road space with motorists rather than have a dedicated lane.

The timeline for the Blackspot study is to complete the analysis and carry out consultation with stakeholders by June 30. TAC grants will open in August and Council will aim to deliver works pending funding in the 2018/19 financial year. It was noted that the new design will need to be integrated into the possible Canning bike boulevard which will be part of the upcoming Melbourne Water works.

ACTION: BAC members may email Council’s project manager, Uyen Tran, with suggestions and observations on the intersection at uyen.tran[AT]yarracity.vic.gov.au

Agenda item 3: Canning Street Updates
Upon request from BAC, Peter investigated the possibility of replacing some ‘Give Way’ signs on Canning Street but found that they do not meet the warrants as per Austroads standards.

A small group of BAC members recently went on a site visit with Peter and Cr Fristacky to investigate opportunities to improve cycling conditions. The concept for moving the bike lane from the centre of the carriageway to the median side with a protection separator was supported. A number of opportunities for pedestrian crossings and raised threshold treatments on side streets were also identified. Peter is currently considering the possibility of a Dutch-style bike boulevard given the low traffic volumes and current behaviour of commuter cyclists on Canning Street. The bike boulevard may entail coloured/pigmented asphalt surfacing, sinusoidal speed humps and bike symbols with the possible lowering of speed limits to 30 km/h.”

4. Yarra Bicycle Advisory Committee Minutes: 12 June 2019: 2.1 Carlton North LAPM (pdf file)

“2.1 Carlton North LAPM: Rebecca S provided an update about the upcoming Carlton North Local Area Place Making (LAPM) study and the new approach for future LAPM’s

– Council is refreshing the process for LAPM’s, with a more holistic approach and focus on aspirations for the liveability of a precinct. Place making and collaboration with other areas of Council (Urban Design, Open Space etc.) will be a core component of future LAPM’s. LAPM’s will consider wider opportunities such as activation of spaces, improved access to activity centres, and what is the best mode of transport at different locations
– Consultation with a wider range of the community will also be a key objective for the process.

Rebecca S asked BAC members to share ideas to engage with members of the community who may not typically provide feedback during LAPM consultation
– BAC members provided a number of suggestions, including:
– Road closures and street parties as a way to encourage the community to be more imaginative and innovative
– Community walking tour or bike ride to highlight issues and opportunities in the area
– Engage with people on foot i.e. at dog parks, Capital City Trail, Rathdowne Village, Canning Street, libraries and primary schools.

– Marcus C has been a resident of Carlton North for 25 years and is happy to offer further input
– Rebecca S asked the BAC members to highlight positives and negatives in Carlton North on ‘post it’ notes and maps of the area
– BAC members discussed a number of positives, including the success of Canning Street due to the street’s permeability, low traffic volumes (as a result of road closures), connectivity and wide bike lanes

– Negatives discussed included dangerous intersections (Richardson Street and Canning Street), poor signal phasing at intersections, and the need for another east-west bicycle route
– Marcus S noted that reducing speed limits to 30km/h could significantly improve safety in the area, and highlighted that there has been a substantial improvement since reducing speed limits from 60km/h to 40km/h

– BAC members highlighted opportunities for place making in Carlton North, including using available space (i.e. Canning Street median) and reclaiming road space for pocket parks, kerb extensions and pedestrian zones
– Bruce E noted that a previous streetscape plan was developed for Carlton North by City of Melbourne prior to Council amalgamations and suggested that it would be worthwhile to refer back to this work

– Next Steps: Rebecca S noted that the approach for the LAPM is currently being coordinated and will be presented to Council in mid-July. Following this, the first community meeting could potentially be held in August 2019
– BAC members agreed that a ride with Rebecca S around Carlton North would be an effective way of highlighting issues and opportunities in the area. Marcus C offered to be the BAC representative for the ride and it was agreed that the ride would be scheduled to occur in the next 4 weeks
– Bruce E queried if Urban Design could prepare a precinct master plan for Carlton North. Rebecca S said she would confirm if this could be included in the scope
ACTION: Rebecca S to organise a ride around Carlton North with Marcus C and any other
interested BAC members”

7. Carlton North LAPM plan – 21 May 2020: 6.4 Planned or Potential Projects Map (pdf file)

Screen grab from pages three and four – green circles added for emphasis

Carlton North Local Area Placemaking Plan and Report (pdf file)