Premier

24/7 Clearways To Create A More Reliable Punt Road

24 July 2016

Victorians can expect a smoother and less congested journey along Punt Road from next month with 24/7 clearways to be put in place.

The announcement comes as welcome relief for residents and motorists frustrated with bottlenecks and choke points on weekends, when just one parked car can reduce the critical north-south corridor to one lane in each direction.

From 29 August, 24 hour clearways will operate on Punt Road seven days a week, which will get traffic flowing outside of the peak periods and on weekends.

The clearways will operate along both sides of Punt Road, from Alexandra Avenue, to Gladstone Street on the east side and from Alexandra Avenue to Union Street on the west side.

The clearways will also improve safety by reducing accidents as vehicles merge, and provide more consistent and reliable travel for bus services along the busy road.

Feedback from residents and business owners suggested clearway operating times should not be changed along Alexandra Avenue, Toorak Road, Commercial Road and High Street at this time.

The success of 24/7 clearways on Punt Road will be reviewed over the next six months, before changes to clearway operating times along these intersecting roads are reconsidered.

The loss of on-street parking will be compensated for, with three new car parks in the area to be opened by the end of December.

Consultation identified a high demand for car parking around the intersections of Punt Road with Commercial Road and High Street and three sites have been selected to match this demand.

The new car parks are located at 182 Punt Road, 198 Punt Road and 274 Punt Road.

While the clearways will immediately relieve congestion, the Labor Government is also considering medium and long-terms options to improve the operation of this vital north-south route.

These options will be investigated following the recommendation of an Independent Advisory Committee later this year, about the future of the current Public Acquisition Overlay on Punt Road.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan

“Victorians know the frustration of getting stuck on Punt Road, especially on the weekend or off-peak."

“This is a critical north-south corridor that 330,000 people rely on each day and we’re getting it moving.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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