Projects

Blackshaws Road Safer Pedestrian Crossing

We’re improving pedestrian safety in Newport and South Kingsville by delivering a new pedestrian crossing on Blackshaws Road near Watt Street.

Project status:

Underway

Project update - July 2026

AusNet works are expected to be completed by Friday 3 July 2026, with pedestrian crossing works to resume from Sunday 5 July 2026.

Night works will take place from the evening of Sunday 5 July to the morning of Friday 10 July. During these works you can expect moderate to high levels of noise at times. These works will be undertaken between 8pm and 6am and at times may require closing sections of Blackshaws Road.

After this period, night works will occur intermittently, with most works taking place during the day between 7am and 6pm.

Please note, the dates and times may change due to weather or the contractor’s program of works.

What to expect during works

Pedestrian crossing works:

During dayworks, lane closures and reduced speeds will be in place on Blackshaws Road, with provision for two-way traffic.
During nightworks, Blackshaws Road may be closed near the work area with local detours in place.
On-street parking on Blackshaws Road will not be available within the work area.
The eastbound bus stop at Watt St / Blackshaws Rd will be temporarily relocated approximately 50 metres to the west.
Periods of medium to high noise levels, vibrations, and dust – we’ll work to minimise these impacts as much as possible. For the safety of road users and workers on site, reversing beepers are required on all machinery.
Footpaths will remain open with traffic controllers on site to safely guide pedestrians through the area.
A reduced speed limit to keep crews and road users safe.
Some vegetation removal on nature strips.
Access to properties and businesses will be maintained at all times. If any works disrupt access to driveways, traffic controllers will be on-site to help residents in and out of properties.

What we’re doing

We’re improving pedestrian safety in Newport and South Kingsville by delivering a new pedestrian crossing on Blackshaws Road near Watt Street. A high-quality pedestrian network is a fundamental building block of the transport network and helps people make active transport choices that reduce transport congestion, minimise emissions and support vibrant economic precincts.

As part of the safety improvements, we will install a raised ‘wombat’ crossing, upgrade lighting and introduce new signage to support the crossing. This project will:

encourage drivers to slow down on approach to the crossing
improve safety for vulnerable road users crossing Blackshaws Road
provide connectivity and improve walkability to nearby public transport, parks and key facilities in the area.

Street parking changes

To make room for the new raised ‘wombat’ crossing and to provide a safe crossing location, we need to change some on-street parking. These changes ensure drivers have a clear line of sight to the crossing and create a safer environment for pedestrians. Parking changes include:

A reduction of three parking spaces between Kingham Street and near 117 on the south side of Blackshaws Road.
Removal of two parking spaces on the north side of Blackshaws Road near 110.

Background

Blackshaws Road is a key arterial road, connecting the community to Williamstown Road, and to the West Gate Freeway. The planned location of the pedestrian crossing is in a mostly residential area with nearby public parks and commercial pockets. The road is serviced by Route 432 buses between Newport and Yarraville.

There are limited opportunities for vulnerable road users to safely cross Blackshaws Road, with pedestrian analysis indicating approx. 200 people cross between Watt Street and Sutton Street every day.

In November 2023, the Department of Transport and Planning undertook a survey on how people experience travelling on Blackshaws Road and found that parked cars, poor sight lines and insufficient lighting can make it difficult for motorists to safely judge gaps when turning into Blackshaws Road from local streets. Some responses indicated pedestrians felt unsafe when crossing and believed the area would benefit from an increase in designated crossings and improved lighting.