Transport Canberra is looking to make the Territory’s streets more people-friendly with the launch of a draft design guide to improve the city’s cycling and walking infrastructure.
Calling for feedback on the draft Design Guide, Minister for Transport and City Services, Chris Steel said the guide ensured that intersections and streets were designed to safely support all forms of transport including walking, cycling and driving.
Mr Steel said the design guide improved pedestrian and cyclist safety by separating the different modes of transport at intersections, where most conflicts and crashes occurred.
He said the new design principles balanced safety and efficiency depending on the function of the street.
“The guide has been shaped and informed by best-practice examples and research from cities around the world and the ACT Government is now seeking community input on the designs,” Mr Steel said.
“Canberrans can expect to see better streets for people with similarities to Europe’s best cycling cities,” he said.
“The new designs will not be retrofitted to every street and intersection in Canberra overnight, but once finalised this will be the new standard for all new and upgraded streets and estates.”
Mr Steel said that while the guide would not be used to inform existing projects, protected intersection designs had already been incorporated into the Light Rail Stage 2A Works Approval submission, with protected intersections on Northbourne Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue separating pedestrians, cyclists, cars, and the future light rail system.
He said the draft guide, open until 2 June, proposed designs that passively encouraged slower vehicle speeds in key areas where there were more vulnerable road users.
Transport Canberra’s 64-page draft Design Guide: Best practices for urban intersections and other active travel infrastructure in the ACT can be accessed at this PS News link.
