Autumn Festival of Traffic Management

Ah, Autumn - it's been wonderfully peaceful in our little corner lately, save for the skull-shattering grind of earth moving machinery and the ambient, misanthropic profanities of construction workers.  With the underground car park finally excavated and sealed, work on the Merri Apartments seems to be moving apace.  We'll probably have something suitably enormous to look at by the end of the year... and the new townhouses on Sth Park Street are all but done.

Meanwhile, Council is getting things moving with traffic treatments in the area, having finally secured the funding to do so in the current Council Budget year.  For the amnesiac, this reflects a long process that commenced with a really useful consultation session Cr Trent McCarthy convened with Council traffic officers and residents back on 9 December, 2010.  From this flowed recommendations to Council in March 2011 to fund the measures discussed at that forum and the reports later circulated via our email circulation list.  The first report is within the Council Minutes, online here (pg 11) .  We all generally agreed that, aside from the recommendation to reopen Union St to two-way traffic at Merri Parade (madness - it was closed many years ago after some horrible accidents on the blind corner and would require traffic lights to reopen - which would be great for pedestrians and bikes actually), the report was pretty good. 

The 2011 report proposed a number of "threshold treatments" which we have already had installed at the entries to our streets, except the corner of Charles and South Park (in progress).  It proposed to raise the level of the entire "T" intersection of South Park Street with Bridge Street, effectively making it one big speed hump while promoting pedestrian crossing to and from the Merri Station.  South Park Street is becoming a particular through-traffic problem in our area since the redevelopment of the St George's Rd intersection made a right-turn from Merri Parade into Charles St impossible, and traffic calming on this narrow road is definitely on the agenda.

The report also proposed a "go slow" narrowing point on Bridge St - very welcome.  Lastly, extensive works for Charles Street were proposed - a "not so fast" campaign to discourage speeding, threshold treatments, remodelling the corner of Sth Park and Charles, and bike lanes.

Anyway, to cut a long (and reasonably tedious) story short, this didn't get funding in the 2011 budget but, with some lobbying and welcome Councillor support, the works got a look-in for 2012.  This is great.  However we've hit a bit of a snag in that some of the works on Charles St appear to have proceeded ahead of final consultation on the plans - maybe a crossed wire with the external contractors, or perhaps problems with the resident communications list.  Some residents in Bridge St received notice of Charles St works while some Charles St residents received nothing, or received their notices a couple of days after works had actually commenced.  Residents adjacent to the South Park St/Charles St intersection have required some very last minute consultation to address potential issues with drainage and landscaping.  Hopefully this is all retrievable before concrete is poured.

Consultation is moving ahead more smoothly with the remainder - most of us have the consultation plans for Bridge and Union Streets (if you missed it, it's here).  These are different to what was recommended back in 2011, so we'll get together with Council officers next week to work out where the issues lie.  It's likely Council are seeking to avoid works adjacent to the Merri Parade development, for fear of the construction traffic trashing the new roadworks as they have with some of the newly installed threshold treatments.  Fair enough, but that suggests a case to wait for another budget year (tricky for the traffic department, with an annualised budget system such as Council's requiring project funds to be expended within the same year) rather than a case to proceed in a less optimal position.  There's also an absence of focus on Sth Park Street that most of us consider important, while the proposed "slow point" for Union Street appears redundant.

Council officers have very kindly agreed to meet with us on Monday.  Rather than all of us meeting at once and overwhelming the process, let's get together at the Albion Charles tomorrow night at 8 to agree on our preferred street treatments, then decide on a smaller number of representatives to take this position forward productively.

Vale Dot McNamara

So sad to see Dot McNamara pass away earlier this week and, with her, the closure of one of the few remaining shops in our neighbourhood.  A chat or two with our saddened neighbours reveals Dot's store on Charles Street was established in the 1920s by her parents, who operated a Dye Works out the back.  Dot went to school at St Joseph's up the hill and is one of many of our older generation who have spent their entire lives in the neighbourhood - many, like Dot, were apparently born in houses on our streets.  They have lived through a lot of change.

When an institution like Dot moves on, many start to recount their memories and knowledge of the Merri precinct's history and character.  Many of us have photos of what the place looked like over a long period; the houses, shops, the people and the stories that go with them.  It would be great to get all this down in some form or other before we lose a connection to our colourful past forever.

Howard Bolton, who operates the bookstore opposite Dot's shop, is calling for expressions of interest in having a memorial plaque created and mounted in tribute to her life and connection to our community history.  Please drop in to Howard's shop on the corner of Charles and Park Streets to let him know if you're interested - Saturday morning is probably the best time.

Merri Parade: What on Earth is going on with Councillor Tsitas?

Okay - as many will be aware, Darebin's Council officers took a good look at this proposal and pretty much shot it out of the water in their report to a meeting of Council earlier this week:

"Based on the issues described in previous sections, it is expected that the benefits to the community obtained from the investment on the road expansion are extremely limited. Road widening could only generate benefits to those who drive regularly on Merri Parade. As previously discussed, any benefits to these people would quickly dissolve as yet more traffic uses Merri Parade, resulting in the same level of congestion as currently exists, but an additional lane of it. A large proportion of the drivers using Merri Parade are assumed to be through traffic from north of Darebin.

In terms of a benefit cost ratio (BCR) (that is, value for money), a project like this would score very poorly, in contrast to a public transport improvement project, or even a cycling improvement project.

Studies show that high-quality, time-competitive public transport tends to attract travellers who would otherwise drive, which reduces congestion on parallel roads. Although public transport does not usually eliminate road congestion, it can significantly reduce congestion intensity on roads like Merri Parade."

 See the full report on page 44 of the meeting agenda online.

So that was pretty good.  However, the Mayor then tabled a counter-proposal as follows:

My Merri Hiiiiiiiigggghwaaaaaaayyyy

I have no idea why Cr Tsitas is so obsessed with Merri Parade.  Not only is this contrary to expert advice, all it does is claim parkland for roadspace with no increase to capacity for either cars or bikes, compromising the quality and safety of the separate bike path, and preventing residents  from accessing their local streets when returning from the south-east.  The divided road would either divert all north-westbound local traffic through McLaughlin and Barry Streets to follow a ridiculously circuitous route through the labyrinthine chicanes of Westgarth, or force residents to drive up to St George's Rd, take a u-turn at Northcote High School, and return to the neighbourhood with south-eastbound traffic.  Nuts. All we want is a safe pedestrian crossing point to the creek and bikepath, preferably at the end of Union Street where visibility is poor.

Anyway, Council apparently approved the motion to approach VicRoads with this recommendation, except Crs. Tim Laurence and Trent McCarthy.  Also, there will be some form of community consultation!

There is another agenda we aren't seeing here.  It suggests a kind of incrementalism, whereby the road is first (pointlessly) widened without increasing capacity, providing scope for further lanes to be added at an undisclosed point in the future.  There is no obvious benefit to anyone from pursuing this incredible waste of Council resources and residents' time.  So the motivation for this dogged pursuit of widening Merri Parade has me quite concerned.

Merri Parade Duplication

Many will have seen the old issue of Merri Parade's duplication resurfacing of late, largely in reaction to Council's decision to minimise traffic flows on High Street, creating a heavier flow through our precinct.  We already have westbound traffic on Westgarth Street unable to turn right into either High Street or Charles Street further on at the St George's Rd junction, requiring drivers to cut through established residential streets to access main roads on the south-west of Rucker's Hill. While some traffic calming measures are in the pipeline, Council is now considering establishing a four-lane highway between local residences and the creek parkland, to continue down Westgarth Street where opportunities for widening are scant without loss of on-street parking, plantings and amenity.

The Parade Development: increasingly an optimistic vision.
Picture a four-lane highway where the tree plantings are.

Darebin's Mayor, Cr Stevan Tsitas (a Rucker ward councillor), has urged Council officers to prepare a report on the viability of revisiting the idea of bringing greater traffic flow down Merri Parade yet again.  On this week's Council agenda a progress report was sought from Council officers:

1) Council officers prepare a report on what strategic direction
Darebin’s advocacy will take to VicRoads with respect to the ‘Main
Road’ status category attributed to Merri Parade once the full effects
of Tram Route 86 are felt.
(2) In light of the Council report of 21 March 2011 noting 18,000
passenger vehicle movements per day on Merri Parade that we seek
to engage the community to advocate for the duplication of Merri
Parade to alleviate the traffic congestion in this key area linking the
two major entrances to the city to the south, namely High Street and
St Georges Road, Northcote.
Felipe Carvajal Michael Ballock Report to Council in July 2012.

We need to be ready for this consultation and to have our arguments well formulated and grounded in basic common sense.  Naturally this would have a major impact on our precinct and its environment, further cutting us off from and compromising existing creekside reserves and in particular degrading the quality of life for residents close to or living on Westgarth Street and Merri Parade.

Of course, it would be great to get this sort of nonsense sorted out:

Some highly effective recent stormwater works.

Remember this is an election year.

If you're not on our group email list, please contact us with your details as soon as you can to keep up to date with progress and events.

Demolition and excavation recommencing

Couple of quick updates: first, advice from Merri Merri Developments is that the last bit of demolition on the site should be recommencing this week, weather permitting.  This should also roll on to the excavation works for the underground carpark - a whole bunch of jackhammering through the good old Northcote basalt.  Hang on to your hats!  Probably a good four month's worth of colour and motion in the neighbourhood before the site can move on to the construction stage.  Director Russell Gordon has generously pledged us as many landscaping boulders as our little hearts desire to embellish the Merri Station landscaping works (thanks Russell).  Will be a nice touch to have some local rock in our local spaces.

Second, some great work undertaken by many of us last week up at Merri Station, spreading out a vast heap of organic compost generously donated by Sita Organics to charge up the new garden beds on both sides of the train line.  Thanks to everyone who pitched in, particularly all the kids!  Photos soon at the new Stationeers blog at http://merri-stationeers.blogspot.com.au/ .

Commencement of Demolition Works - Removal of Asbestos Roof

Hello all,

Latest is that the hoardings/temporary fencing is due to be erected this coming Monday, 17 October to seal off the site for demolition works.  This is likely to take a couple of days, and is still subject to a Council permit, so we're looking at the enormous asbestos roof starting to be removed by around next Wednesday or Thursday.  We're awaiting advice from the contractor, Australasian Technical Services, as to the specific method to be employed.  We're assured hygienists will be involved and monitoring equipment will test for airborne particles at the perimeter of the site.

I'll forward more detailed correspondence to those living immediately adjacent to the site.  Meanwhile, if you'd like more information, just email us.

Mike

38 Merri Parade - Demolition in October 2011

For those not on the mailing list, we have received notice from the site's contract administrator that demolition will begin at 38 Merri Parade during October.  Currently it's looking like the week of the 17th, but could be earlier depending on the availability of various contractors.  We are told demolition of the whole warehouse will take about one month, including the significant concrete slab.  The whole project is scheduled to be completed over approximately 18 months.

We'll post key dates for major demolition, excavation and construction components of the project as they become available.  Meanwhile, if you're not on our mailing list and would like to be, please email us.