A Dandenong Road Pedestrian Crossing and Intersection Option

for Sirocco Street/Central Avenue/Dandenong Road Intersection

Recently Cr Bourke has publicised in the local newspaper and letterbox drop his desire to correct pedestrian and traffic issues at the above intersection and is open to public input.  A few JRA members, who had input into a traffic committee that was formed in 2009 to prioritise the traffic needs for Jamboree Heights, have made enquiries with the Executive.  Below are some of the issues that could be considered.  

PLEASE NOTE:

• A plan of this option is provided in this article. 

• These are the facts consider by, and the opinions of JRA president, Mr.Wayne Williams, who has been present at all official meetings between JRA and Cr Bourke.  The JRA executive encourages members to look into the issues for themselves and determine their own thoughts and opinions.

What are the difficulties and dangers for motorists and pedestrians at this location?

• Vehicles turning right into Dandenong Road from Sirocco Street – very dangerous. It is difficult for Sirocco Street motorists to determine in which lane the Dandenong Road north bound traffic is travelling. Many motorists avoid this course and now depart by using the Andaman Street route. Sirocco Street is narrow at this location and motorists wishing to turn left are often blocked by motorists that are having difficulty turning right and not over far enough.

• Vehicles turning right into Dandenong Road from Central Ave – very dangerous. Many motorists from Central Parklands avoid this course and exit via the narrow Patrol Street.

• Pedestrians crossing Dandenong Road either way – extremely dangerous.

• Vehicles turning right into Sirocco Street from Dandenong Road– danger to a lesser degree. Most motorists do not stop at the required line and block the Sirocco traffic which has right-of-way from entering.

• Vehicles crossing from Sirocco to Central Ave and visa versa – extremely dangerous but not that common.

What impact has the expansion of Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre and new traffic lights on Dandenong Road at Kentucky Fried had at the Sirocco St. intersection?

• Increased patronage to the Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre has resulted in increased traffic volumes along Dandenong Road.- NEGETIVE for Jamboree Residents

• The generous light sequence for traffic entering and departing AMP at the Kentucky Fried lights has attracted motorists away from using the rear entry at Andaman Street and Galleon Street. The volume of traffic using Andaman Street since the extensions has increased slightly but has reduced as a percentage of the increased total of vehicular traffic to AMP.- POSITIVE for Jamboree residents

• The Kentucky lights create slight pauses in south bound traffic flow past the Sirocco St intersection which gives the opportunity for a motorist turning right out of Sirocco Street to gain entry but these lights have no similar effect on the north bound traffic flows. To be caught in the middle is highly dangerous – POSITIVE and NEGETIVE

• Service trucks now rarely use Andaman Street – POSITIVE for Jamboree residents.

• Jamboree Heights motorist (from east of Dandenong Road) desiring to travel north towards Jindalee and beyond have an alternative exit route through AMP to avoid the Sirocco Street intersection. Many motorists take this chosen route in preference to using the Sirocco Street entry or the clogged Sumner Road route.– SLIGHTLY NEGETIVE BUT POSITIVE.

• Greater traffic volumes have increased the dangers for pedestrians to cross over Dandenong Road – bus commuters – school children – shoppers – HIGHLY NEGETIVE for Jamboree pedestrians and residents along Dandenong Road.

• With the addition of the Kentucky lights with their generous entry and departure sequence, close to the Arrabri lights, Dandenong Road through traffic now experience delays. If the proposed new light sequencing to free up Dandenong Road incontinences the entry and departure of shoppers, the Andaman entry point could be in jeopardy. HIGHLY NEGETIVE for Andaman and Galleon Street residents and internal pedestrians.

Other known facts pertaining to the Sirocco St./Central Av./ Dandenong Rd. intersection.

• The developers of Central Parklands contributed greatly to BCC for the cost of the last intersection upgrade. Home buyers in Central Parklands were charged a significant amount per block to offset this cost.

• The entries into and out off Central Parklands are far superior to those of Jamboree Heights residents – except their south bound exit to Dandenong Road. Central Parklands was allocated a 10 car turn lane in Dandenong road at the expense of a wide centre island in Dandenong Road which could have been used as a halfway safety zone for pedestrians.

• Central Parklands was built on a parcel of land that was once promoted by State Government to be the location of a hospital. The land was then sold to BCC who on-sold it to developers to create Central Parkland. At the time this land transfer and loss of scarce parkland infuriated many Jamboree residents as they lost a well utilized dog walking location.

• This intersection and the Andaman entry to Mt Ommaney shopping centre will be the only 2 vehicular entries to one of the 2 parcels of land in Jamboree Heights (north of Galleon Street) that has been re-classified for low-medium density dwellings under the Centenary Neighbourhood Plan. While the financial climate is not suitable at present for developers, one day this will happen and higher traffic volumes will be an outcome.

History of JRA conversations with Cr Bourke pertaining to the Intersection.

JRA executive has had several talks with Cr Bourke since 2009 re the intersection problems and identified a safer pedestrian crossing as one of the most pressing issues of Jamboree Heights.  At various meetings the JRA Executive was informed of the following:

• Initially the intersection was too close to the crest of the hill (at Loffs Road) to install a roundabout, traffic lights or a set of stand alone Pedestrian lights.

• Cr Bourke quite correctly predicted that once the Kentucky lights were installed “rat running” traffic accessing Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre via the rear entry at Andaman Street entry via Galleon Street, would desist.

• If lights could be installed, land resumptions would be required from the Sirocco Street shopping centre car park to create a left turn lane into Sirocco Street.  Recently the footpath in this location has been widened.

• If stand alone pedestrian lights were to be installed they would have to be down as far as the Vet surgery.

• It was agreed that this location might suit the laneway to Central Parklands at this location but it would of inconvenient use to Jamboree Heights and Middle Park school children and bus commuters. Since this time a pedestrian walkway has been placed through Lorikeet Park for Central Parkland residents to access the shopping centre.

• A non-signalised pedestrian crossing could not be installed at the crest of Dandenong Road (near Loffs Road) because of poor visibility.

• 12 months ago the Executive was informed that the funding of the intersection upgrade was prioritised at about 130th in Brisbane.

Conclusion

The eastern half of Jamboree Heights has seen infrastructure projects completed since Cr Bourke was installed in 2008 and the evolution of JRA in 2009.  Many have been long over due and singular residents have requested them without success for many years.  These include: footpaths for the full length of Sirocco and Masthead Street; the footpath widening of a section of Dandenong Road from Medical Centre to Spinnaker Street; the resurfacing of Galleon, Schooner, Sirocco and Haran Streets;  the posting of 40k/h in Andaman Street; the planting of the island chicane at the bottom of Ebrill Street;  intersection line painting.

It is refreshing news to hear that if the intersection is to receive $15,000 in traffic study funding, Cr Bourke has had the project prioritized much higher.  If there is to be a traffic study conducted by BCC traffic engineers, will the preferred choices of the public be considered prior to design plans being presented?

Your executive presents a potential, partial- signalised solution that will improve the right hand turning; provide a safer pedestrian cross; protect the Andaman Street entry point from increased traffic; and minimises the effect on traffic flows along Andaman Street.