Safe streets for walking, biking and rolling

30 km/h Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (or superblocks) are blocks of streets that are calmed to 30 km/h, usually within a perimeter of VicRoads arterials. Low Traffic Neighbourhoods also include traffic filtering to block commuter through-traffic, as well as more trees and public open space. For most journeys, 30 km/h only applies to the first and last few hundred meters of travel and doesn’t appreciably add to travel times.

30 km/h Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (or superblocks). Image credit: Streets Alive Yarra, Google Maps.

Benefits

30 km/h Low Traffic Neighbourhoods offer the following benefits:

  • reduced rat running;
  • a quieter and more enjoyable environment for walking and chatting with neighbours;
  • a safer environment for children to start or finish their journeys, e.g. walking or cycling to school, sport or friends; and
  • a lower cost way to make cycling safe across the whole of Yarra, with costly protected bicycle lanes limited to a core network that links Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.

Opening roads to walking and cycling

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods include modal filters to block motor-vehicle through-traffic, thus keeping it to the declared arterials on the perimeter of the Low Traffic Neighbourhood. Instead of thinking of filters as ‘closing the road’, consider them as ‘opening the road’ to enable safe walking and cycling.

Modal filters open streets to walking and biking. Image credit: Groundwork Greater Manchester and Walk Ride Salford.

In Western Australia, residents who initially opposed road closures, changed to become supporters, because the quieter streets were much more family-friendly.

Image credit: WA DoT, Cycling Guidance for Local Traffic Management Schemes

Supporters – Love 30 Yarra

Love 30 Yarra is a grassroots campaign to support 30 km/h Low Traffic Neighbourhoods in the City of Yarra. Love 30 Yarra is part of a global Love 30 campaign (also called 20’s Plenty in countries that use miles per hour), with other groups located in the UK, Europe, Canada and the USA. Contact Love 30 Yarra via the Streets Alive Yarra contact form.

Support from the Metropolitan Transport Forum

The Metropolitan Transport Forum (MTF) wants councils to be able to declare 30 km/h speed limits on local streets.

Source: Metropolitan Transport Forum media release

30 km/h trial in Yarra

The City of Yarra has trialled a 30 km/h Low Traffic Neighbourhood in one area of Fitzroy and Collingwood, and is now awaiting approval from the State Government Department of Transport for the trial to become permanent. More information is available at thanksfor30.com.au/why-30kmh.

Image credit: City of Yarra

30 km/h in other Councils

The City of Melbourne and the City of Moreland have announced that they are also planning trials. Councils in Western Australia (with the WA Department of Transport) are also testing 30 km/h streets, calling them ‘Safe Active Streets‘:

Safe Active Street. Image credit: WA Department of Transport.

Conclusion

30 km/h Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are a practical and low cost way to make Yarra a more beautiful, liveable and accessible city.

How you can help

You can help by appearing on the Streets Alive Yarra website as a champion for your local street, neighbourhood, or school.

Let’s build a beautiful, liveable and accessible city

Be a champion for your neighbourhood
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