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Belford Rd underpass proposal

Location: heading towards the CBD from the Kew Golf Club the Yarra River Trail rises up to Belford Rd and then down towards the Kilby Rd underpass at Willsmere Park. Counts in 2009 indicate that approximately 400 cyclists a day use this path.

Problem

The main problems that occur in this area are the result of the gradients to be found at this point on the Yarra River Trail:

• pedestrians walking on the shared path feel intimidated by cyclists traveling at speed down the hill
• cyclists find the climb up the hill difficult - particularly the younger members of family groups
• Belford Rd appears abruptly and is quite busy as it is the one and only road to provide access to the enclave on the north side of the highway
• the path approaches to the turn circles at Elm Grv and Willow Grv are particularly hazardous as they are steep and sharp - refer photos - the areas are badly lit at night
• the section running parallel to Willsmere park is also steep and pedestrian conflict is rife
• the path is too narrow

The current arrangements are unsatisfactory for pedestrians and cyclists.

Solution

Build a new path from the Kilby road underpass vicinity that would run along an existing earth bench/berm/ledge beside the freeway. It would pass under Belford Rd and rejoin the Yarra River Trail in the vicinity of the Kew Golf Club. The eastern side would more than likely require a cantilevered section.

A second option would locate the path on the open ground at the same level as the freeway surface. Refer to this view of the location from the Belford Rd bridge. The path would be located on the right hand side. Safety Barriers would be required and those used at the Grand Prix in Melbourne (500k pdf) have been suggested.

Further study would determine which of the two options would be the most appropriate. In either case, the path should be three metres wide from the Kilby Rd underpass to Burke Rd, given the traffic along this route. Alternatively the existing path could be a walkers path and the new path a cycle path. Given the monies already expected to be spent on Belford Rd, it may be a good time to look at this proposal instead.

Implementing this path, in conjunction with the proposed "Eastern Freeway Path" - see below - would be highly benefical for cycling in the northern areas of Boroondara. Boroondara north is currently car centric given the lack of good cycling routes to the CBD and the minimal public transport available. It would be good for local residents as the Willsmere area would become more pedestrian friendly. Cyclists coming into the area from the proposed Darebin link across the Yarra, would be able to transit the area with little disruption to the local amenity.

Government response

BBUG put forward this suggestion to the State Government and we received a positive reply from VicRoads.

Yarra River Trail in the Belford Rd vicinity

Belford Rd bridge - looking towards the west from the north side of the M3

Belford Rd at bridge level looking west

View to the east towards Belford Rd at Elm Grove

View to the west from Willow Grv down to Willsmere Park

Eastern Freeway Path

Cyclists in the Kew East & Balwyn North areas have no direct route to the north of the CBD or Melbourne University. The Yarra River Trail in the vicinity of Yarra Bend Park is used but the route is circuitous, hilly and snake infested. The Eastern Freeway Path would provide a direct route to the north of the CBD, being over a kilometre shorter. Suggested names include the Ceres Trail and the Dights Falls Trail.

It would meet up with the two routes as proposed in the Eddington Report ie Johnston St and Nicholson St/Landridge St. It would provide a good link to the Anniversary Trail. Cyclist traffic from the proposed Darebin Creek link could make good use of such a path leaving the existing Yarra Trail less trafficked.

The route would also link to the proposed Sandringham to Cremorne Trail.

The 2009 Victorian Cycle Strategy - 2.3 Mb pdf p28 lists "Link the Chandler Highway to Wellington Street " (Collingwood) as a desirable aim. The purple line on the map shows this route. The Boroondara Bicycle Strategy suggests "Section 11 - Link between Yarra Boulevard and the Anniversary Trail", which includes part of the route.

This route could go some way to bypassing the proposed improvements to the Yarra Trail pipe bridge, the route through Yarra Bend Park and the underpass at Chandler Highway.

This route would have to be built by the State Government as it crosses multiple Municipal boundaries. Implementing the route requires a bridge across the Yarra River parallel to or cantilevered off the Eastern Freeway bridge. Most, if not all the land, is titled as Crown land. Crude paths are already in place in some sections of the route. VicRoads has looked at this route before but it's now time to revisit this proposal.

Map

• red - Belford Rd underpass
• purple - proposed route of the Eastern Freeway Path
• green - existing Yarra Trail route - only partially shown