Projects

Anniversary Trail - improving connectivity at Toorak Road

We’ve identified a missing link for the Anniversary Trail at Toorak Road and are investigating suitable design options to improve connectivity and safety for all users.

About the Project

As part of the 2021/2022 State Budget, funding was provided to support the development of a crossing solution for pedestrians and bike riders at Toorak Road, as part of the Anniversary Trail.

The Anniversary Trail is part of the Kew to Highett Strategic Cycling Corridor and provides an off-road Shared Use Path (SUP) of around 15km for bike riders and pedestrians alike. The trail links users to both the Yarra River and Gardiner’s Creek Trail, as well as providing access to stations on the Alamein Line.

Consultation has now finished on the proposed development options.

What we heard from the community

Over 1400 people responded to the survey on options for a crossing at Toorak Road on the Anniversary Trail. The consultation showed that people want a safe crossing at Toorak Road on the Anniversary Trail.

Of the four options presented, the preferred option was the walking and cycling bridge option.

The community also expressed a strong desire for improvements along the trail's full length, not just at Toorak Road.

Why a bridge is not the best solution

Following the consultation, we've undertaken further investigations for the bridge option.

Our findings suggest that constructing a walking and cycling bridge would cost almost $30 million and is not the best solution to improve safety and fix the missing link for the Anniversary Trail at Toorak Road.

We've taken a number of important factors into account, including impacts to tram and train services, cost, safety, environmental and parking impacts and the wider community benefit.

A bridge would also still require people to cross at the pedestrian rail crossing to the north, which poses a safety risk for all trail users, especially those with limited mobility.

The ramping required to access a bridge would also have a greater impact on the environment and result in the loss of more trees.

Significant costs are associated with the disruption that would be caused by construction which would shut down trains and trams in the area for a number of weeks and potentially impact power to the local area, including businesses. Utility services would also need to be relocated and modified at significant cost.

What we're doing

The community's second preference was option three, which is less impactful to the community and environment but safely connects trail users to the existing walking and cycling path.

Artist impression of the Anniversary Trail Option 3.

Option 3: Construct a new path on the east side of the train line and install a new signalised crossing.

Hartwell residents and local businesses strongly supported this proposal.

This proposal will connect the walking and cycling path on either side of Toorak Road with a signalised crossing connection to the Anniversary Trail.

This option would meet accessibility standards and remove the need for pedestrians and bike riders to cross the railway line to the north, making the journey safer for all users.

The proposed crossing option supports local businesses by avoiding significant construction impacts and by avoiding a bypass of the precinct.

The lights would sync with the lights at Summerhill Road, ensuring pedestrians and bike riders have frequent opportunities to cross.

The proposed crossing option includes safety and amenity improvements at key locations along the Anniversary Trail both north and south of Toorak Road.