Merri Parade Duplication

Many will have seen the old issue of Merri Parade's duplication resurfacing of late, largely in reaction to Council's decision to minimise traffic flows on High Street, creating a heavier flow through our precinct.  We already have westbound traffic on Westgarth Street unable to turn right into either High Street or Charles Street further on at the St George's Rd junction, requiring drivers to cut through established residential streets to access main roads on the south-west of Rucker's Hill. While some traffic calming measures are in the pipeline, Council is now considering establishing a four-lane highway between local residences and the creek parkland, to continue down Westgarth Street where opportunities for widening are scant without loss of on-street parking, plantings and amenity.

The Parade Development: increasingly an optimistic vision.
Picture a four-lane highway where the tree plantings are.

Darebin's Mayor, Cr Stevan Tsitas (a Rucker ward councillor), has urged Council officers to prepare a report on the viability of revisiting the idea of bringing greater traffic flow down Merri Parade yet again.  On this week's Council agenda a progress report was sought from Council officers:

1) Council officers prepare a report on what strategic direction
Darebin’s advocacy will take to VicRoads with respect to the ‘Main
Road’ status category attributed to Merri Parade once the full effects
of Tram Route 86 are felt.
(2) In light of the Council report of 21 March 2011 noting 18,000
passenger vehicle movements per day on Merri Parade that we seek
to engage the community to advocate for the duplication of Merri
Parade to alleviate the traffic congestion in this key area linking the
two major entrances to the city to the south, namely High Street and
St Georges Road, Northcote.
Felipe Carvajal Michael Ballock Report to Council in July 2012.

We need to be ready for this consultation and to have our arguments well formulated and grounded in basic common sense.  Naturally this would have a major impact on our precinct and its environment, further cutting us off from and compromising existing creekside reserves and in particular degrading the quality of life for residents close to or living on Westgarth Street and Merri Parade.

Of course, it would be great to get this sort of nonsense sorted out:

Some highly effective recent stormwater works.

Remember this is an election year.

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