WeHo's first Wombat Crossing and painted bikelanes

Hi everyone

ICYMI, the latest Hobart City News features a photo of our new Wombat Crossing - it's on Hill Street, helping people cross safely from the pharmacy towards Lansdowne Crescent School.

This photo was taken on 8 Feb 2019, in the first week of school this year, when the school community organised a "Stride and Ride Day".  Kids, parents and teachers met at four gathering points around West Hobart and all walked and rode their bikes to school together.  It was great fun for the kids and helped them and their parents see how it might be possible to walk and ride to school without resorting to using cars.

For the first and second weeks of the school term, members of WHEN and other WeHo community members carefully observed the wombat crossing in the busy hour both before and after school.  We counted the numbers of children and adults using the crossing, and observed the behaviour of the drivers at this new road feature.

Our most important finding is that drivers are now braking and slowing down at this busy intersection, and courtesy towards pedestrians crossing the road was pretty good.  Pedestrians were becoming more confident through the period, and we thought that pedestrians choosing to cross at this corner might be increasing in number.  There is a new safer crossing point up at Hamilton Street as well, where the new "bus platform" is, and we saw lots of people crossing there as well.

Council will be engaging a consultant to do a formal evaluation of the safety improvements effected by the new road designs on Hill Street, and it will be interesting to see what they find. We hope that more wombat crossings will be installed around West Hobart to calm traffic further and make it safer for all of us to use the street.

Did you know that the works currently being undertaken on Lansdowne Crescent, between Alison and Warwick Streets, will also include a "raised threshold" on Poets Rd?  This will encourage cars exitting Poets Rd to slow down properly and will improve safety for children and adults crossing Poets Rd.

There are some new short stretches of on-road painted bikelane along Hill Street, and some mini bikelanes through the new improved pedestrian crossing points.  Riders have mixed views about such onroad painted bikelanes.  While it is nice to have an "invitation to ride", these bikelanes are actually located within the "dooring zone" i.e. where drivers tend to open their doors without looking to see if anyone is steaming up the road towards them first. 

If you're a driver, please make every effort to look carefully before opening your car door.  Because this sort of bikelane is not very safe for riders, some will choose to ride in the main traffic lane, especially if they are about to turn right, and some will choose to ride on the footpath.  So please don't be surprised about that.  

Last chance to comment on the draft Transport Strategy for Hobart

Did you know that the period for commenting on the Draft City of Hobart Transport Strategy 2018-2030 closes tomorrow?  You can find the document at the Your Say Hobart page, and you can enter your comments in the online form there.

WHEN has forwarded some feedback to the Council, on several aspects of the plan that relate to how we would like to see transport evolve in our neighbourhood.  Here are some of our comments:

It has been a generous consultation process.

We support the general directions and actions of the Strategy, in particular the stated hierarchy of transport modes, led by walking, cycling, public transport and lastly single occupancy cars.

40 km/h speed limits on residential roads is supported; this will make for safer access to the streets for everyone. 

In addition to this, we would like to see additional protection around schools, with speed limits in school zones set at 30 km/h, in line with trends interstate and overseas.  This will better support initiatives to help children to walk and ride to school.

We encourage Council to support the continued rollout of Ride2School and Safe Routes to School initiatives.  We also support strategies to make the road environment around schools safer, especially during the peak dropoff and pickup periods.  For example: establishing protected cycleways leading to schools; eliminating car parking close to schools (allowing “kiss and ride” zones some distance from the door).   

WHEN is very proud of its Walking West Hobart map and supports the idea of having equivalent maps developed for other neighbourhoods.

The Strategy identifies the development of a detailed bike plan. We think this needs to incorporate a “minimum grid” of safe separated cycleways on core routes, such as commuter routes into the CBD.  Safe cycling routes, whether separated or simply marked, will challenge the widespread practice of on-street parking for both residents and commuters walking into the city.

We welcome the City’s support of the Love Our Streets activities in West Hobart and elsewhere. This was a great example of a little corporate leadership providing a positive focus and some seed funds.  It resulted in the energising of usually disparate community groups to jointly create a series of inspiring community events.  We believe that ongoing and sustained community engagement really requires a sustained line of assistance from the first level of government.  It is a real way to give the Strategy ‘heart’.

We like community engagement models such as that used by the City of Yarra (also Portland Oregon and in New Zealand), which involve defining community areas and establishing an ongoing community forum in each of them.  Through these forums, people get to know each other, and Council initiatives and community ideas are discussed and developed, and the community feels greater ownership of the outcomes. 

We support the phasing out of fossil fueled vehicles. Council’s contribution could include developing a network of fast charging points.  The PlugShare App shows how few of these charging points are yet available in our municipality. These charge points could be operated by a commercial entity, with Council cooperating through providing access to power and communication infrastructure.

Road safety and community consultation in WeHo

Here are some notes from the latest West Hobart Residents' Traffic Committee meeting, this last Wednesday.  It was a small meeting, but we heard from Angela Moore, the Council's Manager, Traffic Engineering, and also from Louisa Gordon, our newly appointed Community Engagement Advisor - Strategic. 


Hill Street Pedestrian Improvement Project
This is about halfway through.  The roadworks to make safer pedestrian crossing points at Cavell Street and Alison Street are complete, bar the painting of traffic and bike lane markings.  The crossing point at Petty Street is half built, and works have started on the new wider bus stand at Hamilton Street.  After those, the raised pedestrian crossing (the wombat crossing) at the pharmacy will be built, in conjunction with some maintenance roadworks to improve the whole roundabout roadspace.

Cate Sumner reiterated the urgency of creating safer walking conditions for kids getting to and from Lansdowne Crescent school.  Angela advised that there is a single work crew which is steadily working through the list of improvements.  The current completion date is expected to be about October (2018!).

Di Elliffe asked for confirmation that the green painted bikelanes will be extended through the kerb bulb/median island crossing points, so that drivers are reminded that riders are entitled to ride safely through those pinchpoints.  As this diagram below shows, there is ample room for a 1.5m painted bikelane (sadly, in the dooring zone) along Hill Street, and for a 1m painted bikelane through the pedestrian crossing points (sadly, even more exposed to fast moving vehicles).

Paul Turvey asked for clarification about the new style of bus stop which will be built at Hamilton Street.  Angela confirmed that it will be a deep stand, extending to the edge of the traffic lane.  Buses will stop in the traffic lane to set down and pick up passengers.  It will be interesting to see this in action.

Several other street surfaces and footpaths were mentioned as needing improvement. These included Arthur Street and Newdegate Street.

Retail Precinct Upgrades
Lenah Valley is almost complete.  Next on the list is NewTown - these works are scheduled for the second quarter of 2018.
After that will be MidTown, i.e. Elizabeth Street this side of the mall.

Community Engagement
Louisa Gordon told us that the Council has a new Engaged Communities Team, of three staff.  They are currently encouraging input to the Draft Community Engagement Strategy.  Comments are welcome till the end of August.  We should all take a look to see if what is being proposed lines up with our ideas on how Council should be communicating, seeking (and acting on) input from residents and ratepayers.

Just click on Your Say Hobart and open up the Community Engagement Strategy page. 

Page 18 and 19 list the currently available channels and  methods by which we can find out what is going on and have some input.  Angela noted that the Community Panel approach has been very useful with the Local Retail Precinct Upgrade projects.

Page 20 and 21 show the strategic framework defining the spectrum of methods of engagement.

 

Next meeting of WeHo Residents' Traffic Committee

All interested residents are invited to come to these regular (but infrequent) Residents' Traffic Committee meetings.  Organised by the Council, they are opportunities to hear what is planned for the neighbourhood by way of improvements for pedestrians, bike riders and drivers. And you can raise any issues of concern with the Council's traffic engineers or with the Aldermen who attend.

Here are the details of the next meeting:

WEST HOBART RESIDENTS’ TRAFFIC COMMITTEE

AGENDA

Meeting to be held on Wednesday 15 August 2018 from 5.30pm at the Lansdowne Crescent Primary School Library - Gourlay Street, West Hobart

Aldermanic Representatives:

NAME

Alderman Thomas

Alderman Briscoe 

Alderman Reynolds

Agenda Items

1. Welcome

2. Apologies:

3. Confirmation of Previous Meeting Notes

4. Business Arising

4.1 West Hobart Local Area Traffic Plan

4.2 Transport Strategy 4.3 Local Retail Precinct Plan

4.4 Community Engagement

5. Permanent Items

5.1 Potholes – please report any potholes to 6238 2836

6. New Business

7. Date of Next Meeting: TBA

Love our streets West Hobart - Street Party! - Sat 30 June

Come along to a celebration of living in West Hobart.  Meet old and new friends and neighbours!  See who's doing what, and join in!

Fun activities for all to enjoy include:  a kids' area (designed by local kids), gardening stalls, book & music exchange, yummy food, clothing swap, e-bike show and tell, plus a busking & performing stage. 

There will be stalls and activities presented by us (WHEN), Lansdowne Crescent School, the Council's Love Our Streets West Hobart team, and others.  

We'll be hosting a Gardening stall - bring any surplus plants or seed to share.  

We'll also be hosting an E-bikes Show and Tell  - have you been thinking about getting an e-bike to conquer West Hobart's hills?  Talk to people who do it and love it, to find out how.  If you already ride an e- bike, do bring it along and swap tales.


For updates follow the Facebook group 'Love our Streets West Hobart' or check out www.hobartcity.com.au/westhobartevent.

SEE YOU THERE!!!!

Residents' Traffic Committee - next mtg Tuesday 20 March

If you are interested in what is happening with transport and traffic in our community, you might like to pop along to a meeting of the local Residents' Traffic Committee.  These are convened every few months by the City Council.  A couple of staff come along to provide info on what is happening on the roads, and a couple of Aldermen usually attend as well.  There is always room for more residents!

Here are the minutes of the last meeting.


Here is the agenda for the next meeting:


WEST HOBART RESIDENTS’ TRAFFIC COMMITTEE

AGENDA

Tuesday 20 March 2018
5.30pm at the Library, Lansdowne Primary School, Gourlay Street, West Hobart

Aldermanic Representatives:
Alderman Thomas
Alderman Briscoe
Alderman Reynolds

Agenda Items:

1. Welcome
2. Apologies
3. Confirmation of Previous Meeting Notes
4. Business Arising
    4.1 West Hobart Local Area Traffic Plan
    4.2 Hill Street and Arthur Street Intersection
    4.3 Transport Strategy
    4.4 Local Retail Precinct Plan
    4.5 Parking at Lawrenny Court
5. Permanent Items
    5.1 Illumination of footpaths
    5.2 Potholes – please report any potholes to 6238 2836
6. New Business
7. Date of Next Meeting: TBA

Hill Street improvements are on their way!

Some of us were starting to wonder what was happening with the Hill Street Improvements project. 

[If you came in late, you can see the history of this issue if you click on the red Transport Choices link at the top of this page - you will then see all the posts on this page that have to do with our Transport campaigns].

In the latest City News, the paper newsletter that goes to all residences in the City of Hobart, I spotted this welcome little item:

 

Yay!!!   It seems that the works will begin in April.  Of course, if the working teams required for this job are tied up on the Mellifont St improvements at the moment, there might be a delay...

Speaking of which, isn't it lovely not having all that rat run traffic streaming along Hill Street for a while?!  It's a lot more comfortable walking and riding around West Hobart at the moment (like it should be).

.

Love our Streets West Hobart - community meeting

Many of us have heard about the Love our Streets West Hobart community project. This is a Council project aimed at fostering creative activities in our community in order to to enhance walkability and bring the streetscape to life with colour and fun.

Community members have suggested ideas via https://yoursay.hobartcity.com.au/westhobartconnect?tool=news_feed or have sent the coordinator, Amanda Midgeley an email.

Some of the ideas have included: a street party, more decoration of fences, urban art walls, seating, history conversations, intergenerational art project, project with the school, street market and more!

Amanda is now inviting us to a community meeting so we can hear more about these ideas and look at how as a community we can make them happen!   There are two sessions available, so that as many people as possible can fit it into their schedules.

Activities will be provided for children, and they are also welcome to join the conversation.

Please invite your neighbours!

Thursday 1^st March

4pm – 5pm  and   6pm - 7pm 

Lawrenny Court meeting room, 131 Hill St, West Hobart.

URGENT: Support the Wombat crossing in Hill Street, please!

Residents may recall that our City Council undertook to implement improvements on Hill Street in this current financial year.  These improvements were listed on this previous blog post.

As part of this implementation, Council has now advertised the trial Wombat crossing, on the north side of the Pine Street roundabout (from the pharmacy towards the school), for any public comment.  This is the advert (and apologies for the very late notice on this):

As you can see, responses are due in by Monday 19 February.  My understanding is that this means by close of business on that date, but this may be wrong (can anyone confirm this?).  Anyhow, best to get your response in ASAP.

Responses can be emailed to coh@hobartcity.com.au, marked to the attention of the Manager Traffic Engineering.  You could provide a copy to the General Manager, Nick Heath, to make certain of your message getting through:  heathn@hobartcity.com.au

Here are some thoughts you could use in your response:

I fully support the installation of a Wombat crossing (i.e. a pedestrian zebra crossing with a road hump) in the vicinity of 111 Hill Street, West Hobart.

This Wombat crossing, in association with the other changes being made at the same time which will moderate traffic flow along Hill Street, will assist in the slowing down of traffic on this busy street and will support the eventual introduction of a 40 km per hr speed limit in this residential area.  It will give legal priority to pedestrians crossing the street here, and this will help children and older residents to cross.  This improvement, with the other changes included in this package, is long overdue.

On 5 August 2015, the (listed below) 13 businesses, 6 schools and Lawrenny Court and Hamilton Place Residential Facilities for the Elderly located along Hill St and Lansdowne Crescent sent letters to the Hobart City Council on this issue. 

They requested that “the Hobart City Council consider the most appropriate placement of non-signalised crossings that allow for right of way to pedestrians along Hill St in the context of providing the necessary traffic infrastructure to implement the new 40 km/h zone.”

 On 18 November 2016 a community workshop held at Lansdowne Crescent PS- "Walk This Way" - highlighted some good ideas on how to make West Hobart more walkable.  Residents and schools reps at the workshop also came away convinced by the additional data and examples presented that the Council's plans for Hill Street should include:

1. zebra crossings (which give pedestrians a legal priority under our current Road Rules)
2. located at the two intersections at either end of Lansdowne Crescent
3. and preferably on raised tables for additional protection.

Members of the Hobart City Council City Infrastructure team joined the West Hobart community and Lansdowne Crescent Primary School parents and friends in a count of students crossing Hill St on 16 March 2017.   These numbers of vehicles and pedestrians more than satisfy the minimum requirement accepted by the Department of State Growth for installation of a proper Pedestrian Crossing (i.e. zebra crossing).

It is wonderful to see that the raised traffic crossing is now happening, and I urge Council to install it as soon as possible to assist students crossing to school.

The local businesses and stakeholder signatories to the 2015 letter to Council:

1.               Hill St Grocer

2.               Hill St Gourmet Meats

3.              West Hobart Amcal Pharmacy

4.               Melt Café 

5.               Staley & Son Framers

6.               Christians Automotive

7.               Island Tyres

8.              Verde Karen Wagner Design

9.               Hill St Express/ West Hobart Post Office

10.            Marquis Hotel/ West Hobart Fine Wines

11.            Paesano Pizza

12.            Lansdowne Café 

13.           Lansdowne Physiotherapy

14.            Lansdowne Crescent  Primary School

15.            Taroona High School

16.            The Friends’ School

17.            St Virgils College Junior School

18.           Guildford Young College

19.            St Mary’s College

20.            Lawrenny Court and Hamilton Place Residential Facilities for the Elderly

City Deal Transport Forum - this Thursday - 6pm, Town Hall

There are more details of the forum here.  The focus of this forum, with lots of expert advice from professionals in the areas of urban development and transport planning, will be on the northern suburbs transit corridor project and the housing development opportunities it will present
.
But of course if this takes off, there will be benefits for all, including West Hobart - we can expect some of the northern suburbs "through traffic" to switch to an efficient rapid transit option.

Do come along to the forum and hear the latest on the proposal.  Just ring up and book your seat/s:

Love Our Streets West Hobart

Great news - from November 2017 to April 2018 the City of Hobart is working with the community in West Hobart, designing creative activities to enhance walkability and bring the streetscape to life with colour and fun.  All community members are invited to join in to design and implement this project.

The project is designed to show people driving through our suburb to realise that - hey!  there are people living here!

We can share our ideas online about what we and our friends could do to activate the street, or look for other people to join in a project, or suggest something that the Council could coordinate.  Just go to  the Council's Your Say Hobart webpage.   Log in (or register if you haven't been in there before) and then go to the LoveOurStreetsWestHobart page.


Community-based activity is important to increase walking in local areas. When residents feel socially connected to their neighbours and part of a strong community they are more likely to walk and spend time in their street.
With the community activating West Hobart, through events, activity and art, the traffic travelling along the streets should slow down.
Even the everyday way that front yards are used can contribute to street activation. Simple ideas could include planting a vegetable plot in your front yard, or having dinner on your front verandah (and perhaps inviting the neighbours!).

Rossmoyne Street in Thornbury (Victoria) is a great example. The community hosted a scarecrow competition in their street which helped to slow down traffic - and the residents got to know each better!

The first idea to hit the streets is a Sea of Sunflowers.  Packets of sunflower seeds are being distributed to residents - just sow them in your front yard!  Soon we will see splashes of colour all along our streets.

The first community gathering is a Fence Weaving party.  On 30 November, at West Hobart's Train Park between 3:30-5.30pm, be there and join in the fun!

Council supports safety improvements on Hill Street

It is very gratifying to be able to report that, on 2 October, our City Council approved unanimously the recommendations of the City Infrastructure Committee to build some safety improvements along Hill Street.  The agreed resolution, taken from the Minutes, is included below.

These changes will make Hill Street more friendly to people walking and riding, by adding more generous pedestrian crossing points, more clearly defining the traffic lanes, and marking some on-road bikelanes.  There will be a bigger safer bus stop near Lawrenny Court, and a wombat crossing will be trialled at the chemist/Smolt Kitchen corner.  There will be more kerb ramps to make it easier for prams and wheelchairs to navigate our streets.  A lowered speed limit will be requested from State Growth once these works are complete.

As you know the community has been agitating for some years now to make our neighbourhood streets safer.  A collaborative effort by the schools (Lansdowne Crescent leading the way), local businesses, and residents groups (such as West Hobart Environment Network) has finally been effective in swaying our Council Aldermen and civil engineering staff to move forward along the path to safer, more inclusive streets. 

While the community wants to go further and faster, with immediate assistance for children walking to school, a more positive attitude to wombat crossings, and more connections to bikepaths to help people to ride to work and school in safety, this current project is a significant step forward for our neighbourhood.  It should have a desirable effect on average traffic speeds along Hill Street, reducing them noticeably.  This will greatly improve the comfort of the immediate residents and the safety of all pedestrians and bike riders using or crossing Hill Street. 

We look forward to seeing the works start, and finish (!), and to trying out the wombat crossing.

COUNCIL RESOLUTION:

That:   1.    The revised concept design for pedestrian crossing points, median lane and bicycle lanes (marked as Attachment D to item 6.6 of the Open City Infrastructure Committee agenda of 20 September 2017) be implemented. 2.    The Transport Commissioner be requested to consider a 40 km/h speed limit for Hill Street (between Molle Street and Arthur Street) following the implementation of this project. 3.    The findings of the Midson Traffic Report (marked as Attachment C to item 6.6 of the Open City Infrastructure Committee agenda of 20 September 2017) be endorsed and the following recommendations be adopted: (i)      A trial implementation of a wombat crossing across Hill Street (on the northern side of the Pine Street roundabout) be undertaken, subject to further consultation with directly impacted property owners, residents and businesses and all statutory advertising and approvals. (ii)     Results of the trial, including recommendations on the installation of two additional wombat crossing in Hill Street (at both Warwick Street and Patrick Street), be the subject of a further report. (iii)    Further surveys of pedestrians and pedestrian types over a longer period (i.e. one school week) be done at the Patrick Street roundabout and the results forwarded to the Transport Commissioner for consideration of a children’s crossing and adult crossing guard. (iv)    Traffic signals not be implemented at the Arthur Street / Hill Street or Patrick Street / Lansdowne Crescent / Hill Street intersections at this time. 4.    The required funding for the installation of wombat crossings at Warwick Street and Patrick Street (if not trialled) be listed for consideration in the 2018‑19 Annual Plan, with installation contingent on a successful trial and future resolution of Council. 5.    The Transport Commissioner be requested to provide assistance as may be required with the implementation of an awareness and education campaign regarding the use of wombat crossings. 6.    Midson Traffic be requested to provide a briefing to the community on the outcomes of its report. 7.    A media release be issued by the Lord Mayor and the Chairman of the City Infrastructure Committee.

Survey on improvements to Hill Street

The Lansdowne Crescent Primary School School Community Association has released a survey to collect your views on a range of potential projects for improving the safety of walking in West Hobart, particularly for pedestrian crossing Hill Street. The SCA is trying to get a feel for the feeling of the general community on these issues.

Background information can be found in our recent post on the Council's current proposals for Hill Street.

It would be fantastic if you could spare a couple of minutes to complete the survey and then pass the message on to everyone you know that lives in, has kids that go to school in, or regularly visits West Hobart.  It is only 5 questions and takes just a couple of minutes to complete.  We will also be promoting the survey on our Facebook page.  Feel free to share it.

The survey can be found here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DDGK2SV  

 

And don't forget to also tell the Council  directly what you think about the proposals.

Council agrees to safe childrens crossings on Hill Street

Thanks to the efforts and persistence of the West Hobart community - the schools, businesses, residents, parents – with counting traffic, circulating petitions and writing letters, keeping on putting forward the issues to the City of Hobart, we have some positive progress to report!

Council this Monday passed the following motion UNANIMOUSLY, with additional points added that Council also lobby the State Government for a 40 km/h speed limit right along Hill Street and that the needs of bike riders be included in the design (i.e. Attachment A mentioned below) of traffic calming interventions.

The motion:  

1.    Community engagement be undertaken based on the concept design marked as Attachment A to item 6.3 of the Open City InfrastructureCommittee agenda of 29 March 2017.

2.    The General Manager work with the schools and interested businesses to lobby the Transport Commissioner for the provision of adult crossing guards at the Hill Street / Lansdowne Crescent / Patrick Street and the Hill Street / Lansdowne Crescent / Pine Street intersections.

3.    Further investigation, including advice from the Transport Commissioner be undertaken to install improved pedestrian crossings at the Hill Street / Lansdowne Crescent / Patrick Street and Hill Street / Lansdowne Crescent / Pine Street intersections taking into consideration sight distance, bus turning and property constraints and in accordance with the Australian Standard.

Options to be investigated include:

(ii)     Wombat crossings at the above roundabouts; and/or

(ii)     Replacing the Hill Street / Lansdowne Crescent / Patrick Street roundabout with traffic signals.

4.    A further report be provided, detailing the results of the community engagement and recommending a design to be implemented in Hill Street, incorporating consideration of the consultation and the feedback from MRCagney and Victoria Walks.

5.    A further report be provided to the Council’s Community, Culture and Events Committee in relation to a possible event and community art project for West Hobart.

6.    The line markings at the Hill Street roundabouts be painted as a matter of urgency.

These decisions by our elected Aldermen send a clear message to staff on the direction that the community and Council wants to go.

Our work is not over!

We will have to remain vigilant and active to ensure that the children's crossing guards be approved by the State Government and implemented as soon as possible.

Also we will need as many residents as possible to get involved when the public consultation on the design of the "improved crossing points" on Hill Street is opened up.   WHEN and Bicycle Network Tasmania will be taking a close look and will be supporting treatments which provide maximum safety for both pedestrians and bike riders.

For example, a crossing like this provides space for riders to get through the "pinchpoint".