Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. Why is the width of the road in lord street narrower than the design plan?

Lord Street, as a shared zone, is intentionally designed to meander in order to slow vehicles down. This means that the road width varies with the narrowest point at 6.0m including the grated drain. While the architectural design plan indicated a desired width of 7.0m, the engineering construction design had to take into consideration the location of services, drainage, property boundaries, disability access and other regulatory requirements. The change between architectural design to engineering construction drawings is not unusual in civil construction projects.

The new road width for Lord Street past the police station is the same width also. The minimum lane width required is 5.5m for two lanes, which allows vehicles (semi-trailer or smaller) to pass each other on the roadway at 5.5m (2.75m per lane). Many high-speed rural roads (100km/h) are based on a seal width of 5.5m to 5.8m wide. 

2. Is a 20 kilometres per hour speed limit slow enough for the shared zones in Lord street and Cairns street?

20km/h provides a high degree of safety to all road users. Information and analysis by VicRoads and Transport Accident Commission (TAC) shows improved safety outcomes for vulnerable road users at this reduced speed. The speed limit has been approved by VicRoads and all safety implications considered for the reduction of the limit from 30km/h to 20km/h. 

3. Why has the original project budget been exceeded? How is this being funded?

The project is funded jointly by Council, the State Government and Federal Government. The Project has faced unforeseen costs including unmapped asbestos and service infrastructure that has required redesign, additional construction works and program rescheduling; delays in power shutdowns requiring contractors to work in a ‘live’ site impacting on time and requiring further program rescheduling; existing road subsurface being inadequate to reuse requiring additional asphalting. These impacts have also resulted in time delays that require additional traffic management and resources.

All of these unforeseen costs have resulted in the original project budget being exceeded. The additional project budget is being funded by Council. 

4. Will Lord street be made into a permanent one-way street?

Lord Street has been made into a one-way street for the construction phase of the project. Lord Street will return to two way traffic at the completion of project. 

5. When will the project be finished?

The project is on track for the major elements to be completed by 31 March, with some residual elements (example – planting) to be undertaken in Autumn.