Planning is underway to redevelop St Kilda Junction in Melbourne’s inner south, with a study commissioned to determine how best to improve tram stops, deliver safer cycling and pedestrian access at the junction and throughout the broader St Kilda precinct.
It will be the first of three studies by the Victorian government into key city gateways, which will be supported by the Inner Metropolitan Partnership between the cities of Port Phillip, Melbourne and Yarra.
The study will commence in January 2019 and provide a short and long-term plans for the delivery of improvements to the junction, which is a major tram interchange.
“St Kilda Road is one of our busiest corridors and the Metro Tunnel will deliver a dedicated train station right to local’s front doors for the first time,” state transport minister Jacinta Allan said.
“We’ll work with local government and the St Kilda community to understand how we can improve traffic and pedestrian flow to get people where they need to go safer and sooner.”
St Kilda Junction was last re-designed in the late 1960s to improve traffic flow and connectivity. The state government is to work with the local government to monitor current traffic flow and plan the redevelopment of the junction.
“When the junction was re-designed 60 years ago the focus was on improving traffic flow for cars – we want to put the focus back on people, making the junction area an even better place to live an easier place to navigate,” state Labor MP for Albert Park Martin Foley said.
“This work will look at how we can better connect our community, deliver dedicated bike lanes and accessible tram stops and ensure Victorians can move safely through the junction.”