One of the key missing links in the Bellarine Rail Trail is Murray Road, a 1.4km length of road between Fellows Road and the Bellarine Highway. In this section of road, vehicles mix with higher volumes of pedestrians and cyclists.
Completing this missing link will lead to improved safety outcomes for all users, encourage those of all abilities to use the trail and promote recreation and tourism within the Borough.
That's why we're investigating options for construction of a shared path along the full length of Murray Road, Queenscliff. The purpose of this project is to improve pedestrian safety and comfort along Murray Road, as it is one of the only sections of the Bellarine Rail Trail which is not off-road, and requires cyclists and pedestrians to share the road with vehicles.
Background
Previous community consultation
Extensive community consultation was undertaken in 2019 to determine the preferred option to complete the missing link along Murray Road. Three designs were produced at the time, including:
- Construction of a boardwalk along the northern edge of Murray Road
This was the preferred option of the community at the time but was ultimately deemed unsuitable due to the high costs and environmental impacts associated with construction.
- Implementation of one-way traffic for the full length of Murray Road
This option was a close second preference with many parts of the community supportive of the likely reduction in traffic speeds and volumes. However, concerns were raised at the time regarding impact on traffic movements in and out of Murray Road, as well as impacts on school bus, waste, and emergency services.
- Widening the full length of Murray Road
Adding additional asphalt was unpopular, largely due to the environmental impacts.
We were able to take the findings from this consultation and create four possible solutions that will help alleviate the problem at hand.
What We're Doing
A number of proposed options have been developed by council engineering staff, and independent traffic consultants. These options have been developed taking into consideration the large amount of existing feedback from the community over the last 5+ years.
We've created a quick and easy survey that asks your opinion on four options that could help improve active transport users safety along Murray Road. Community consultation is one of the most important considerations in planning of the future this area. Your input will play a pivotal role in helping select the preferred option.
The options can be found below:
Option One - Traffic calming
The installation of traffic calming measures such as speed humps along Murray Road to reduce traffic speed and provide separation at slow points.
This option proposes that Murray Road acts as a shared road environment between vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians, with the addition of traffic calming measures to slow vehicle speeds. It is anticipated that there would be approximately six single lane speed humps along the 1.4km length of Murray Road, with separated lanes for pedestrians and cyclists to divert around the outside of the speed humps.
There are relatively low costs associated with this option, with slight safety improvements for pedestrians and cyclists due to reduced vehicle speeds. There is also minimal to no impacts on the environment, surrounding amenity, and traffic movements.
However, it does not complete the missing link in the Bellarine Rail Trail, and cyclists and pedestrians are still required to share the road with vehicles.
More information is available here.
This option proposes a fully separated shared pathway for cyclists and pedestrians. The shared path is likely to be a 2.5m wide asphalt path along the southern boundary line, that may meander through existing street trees to minimise vegetation removal.
This option completes the missing link in the Bellarine Rail Trail and significantly improves safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Meanwhile, vehicle movements remain unchanged.
More information is available here.
Option Three - Partial One-Way Traffic
This option was initially proposed in 2021. It includes eastbound one-way traffic between Fellows Road and Ward Road, with dual lane traffic movements retained between Ward Road and the Bellarine Highway. This allows for a fully separated 2.5m wide shared path to be implemented along the northern boundary of the road carriageway.
This option completes the missing link in the Bellarine Rail Trail and significantly improves safety for pedestrians and cyclists. It would also reduce potential ‘rat-runs’ along Murray Road and reduce vehicle speeds. However, this option would be higher in costs than other options, and would have impacts to vehicle movements.
More information can be found here.
Option Four - Partial Road Closure
This option would see Murray Road closed to vehicular traffic between Nelson Road and Ward Road, with the remaining blocks being reduced to one-way westbound traffic. This allows for a fully separated 2.5m wide shared path to be implemented along the northern boundary of the road carriageway.
This option completes the missing link in the Bellarine Rail Trail and significantly improves safety for pedestrians and cyclists. It would also eliminate ‘rat-runs’ along Murray Road and reduce vehicle speeds. Furthermore, there is an opportunity for additional vegetated public open space between Nelson Road and Ward Road due to the road closure.
However, this option would be costly, and it would require some road widening in the eastern end of Murray Road. This option has the most significant impacts to vehicle movements.
More information can be found here.
Option Five - Leave as is
This option proposes retaining the existing conditions.
There are no financial impacts associated with this option, nor are there any impacts on the surrounding environment or amenity. Furthermore, traffic movements are not impacted.
However, it does not complete the missing link in the Bellarine Rail Trail, and cyclists and pedestrians are still required to share the road with vehicles in a high-speed environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
More information on the project can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) document below.
Read FAQ's
Strategic Documents
Active Transport Strategy
The Active Transport Strategy (ATS) sets out the strategies, actions and initiatives within a 10-year horizon to achieve the overarching vision for the community:
“A connected Borough, where walking, riding and wheeling are safe and enjoyable ways of moving to, from and around the Borough regardless of age or ability.”
One of the key strategies outlined in the ATS is ‘Finish the missing links in the Bellarine Rail Trail’, with Murray Road outlined as a key missing link. Furthermore, completing the missing links has been evaluated as the most important cycling related project which is required within the Borough.
The ATS recommends to “investigate options to provide separation between cyclists, pedestrians, and cars, reduce conflict between different road users, and improve safety” and for the completed path to cater for “for all ages and abilities”.
You can read the ATS by clicking the button below.
Read the ATS here
Principal Bicycle Network
Murray Road is identified by the Victorian State Government as being located on the Principal Bicycle Network (PBN). The PBN is a bicycle infrastructure planning tool to help guide investment in the development of the overall State bicycle network. The PBN includes both existing bicycle infrastructure as well as proposed routes or roads which are identified as being important to the completeness of the bicycle network allowing people to commute to work, school and destinations by bicycle.
The next steps
We invited the community to have their say and provide us feedback on which option they believe is best. They did so by filling out a survey. If respondents had an idea that was not represented in the survey, they were able to email it to Council for consideration.
Council also held a series of drop in engagement sessions. During these sessions, the community was welcome to ask questions, discuss the proposed concepts with Council officers, and provide more detailed feedback to be considered during the development stage.
These sessions took place between 10 am and 12 pm in the Town Hall foyer at Council Offices, 50 Learmonth Street, on the following dates:
- Wednesday March 20, 2024
- Friday March 22, 2024
- Monday March 25, 2024
- Wednesday March 27, 2024
The results of this survey are being analysed and will be presented to Councillors in the near future.