Kerferd Road Safety Improvements Trial

Update: October 19 2022

Safety Improvements Trial at Kerferd Road

At the Ordinary Council Meeting of 19 October 2022, Council endorsed the following resolution in relation to the Kerferd Road Safety Improvement Trial (link to Council Report).

That Council:

3.1 Notes that the trial closure of the intersection of Kerferd Road and Herbert/Montague Streets has met objectives to:

3.1.1 Improve safety at the intersection for all road users;

3.1.2 Deter through traffic and;

3.1.3 Encourage compliance with the speed limit.

3.2 Request that the Department of Land, Water and Planning (DELWP):

3.2.1 Work with Council officers to undertake design investigations for the intersection of Kerferd Road and Montague/Herbert Streets in the Shrine to Sea Masterplan, including testing options for opening safe traffic movements at the intersection;

3.2.2 Ensure that any proposed design aligns with the objectives of the Trial (as per 3.1 above) and addresses the safety risks outlined in the independent Road Safety Audit.

3.3 Request that DELWP prioritise the construction of the permanent outcome as part of the implementation of a final Shrine to Sea Masterplan.

3.4 Retains the traffic management changes implemented as part of the 2021 trial until further works are completed to either make the trial conditions permanent, or to allow safe traffic movements at the intersection.

3.5 Requests that Council Officers locate temporary tree planters in the disused roadway within the median during the trial extension.

The Kerferd Road Safety Improvements trial has been designed to:

deter through traffic
encourage compliance with the speed limit
improve safety for people walking, bike riding and driving on local streets

Background

The trial involved the temporary closure of the median at the intersection of Kerferd and Montague/Herbert Streets, restricting through and right turn vehicle movements.

The trial’s objectives were to deter through traffic, encourage compliance with the speed limit and improve safety for people walking, bike riding and driving on local streets. The trial was deemed necessary after an independent safety audit commissioned by Council identified the intersection of Kerferd Road and Montague/Herbert Streets as posing a safety risk, due largely to the layout of the intersection. The risks included high-speed side impact incidents.

A review of the traffic data collected following the trial’s implementation, indicate that the closure of the median at the intersection has had a positive impact on a number of the trial’s objectives including:

A significant reduction in traffic levels along Montague and Herbert Streets,
No crashes reported at the intersection, and
Improved speed limit compliance.

As part of the trial’s evaluation, community members were encouraged to provide feedback via Council’s Have Your Say page and through an on-line survey on people’s experiences and perceptions.

Community views revealed that there was a strong community sentiment that improving the safety along and across Kerferd Road was important, although the immediate measures were perceived as an inconvenience to some local community members, reducing the ease of travel particularly for those destined for Bridport Street shops.

Kerferd Road is a major component of the Department of Land Water and Planning’s Shrine to Sea project. In view of this, there is a need to ensure any long-term works addressing the safety of the intersection also enables the objectives of the Shrine to Sea project to be achieved.

Whilst the temporary measures implemented as part of the trial address the immediate safety concerns at the intersection, significant changes to the Kerferd Road layout are necessary to enable the reinstatement of safe movements at this intersection. Consequently, it is considered appropriate for the legacy design of the intersection to be considered in the context of the Shrine to Sea Project. This will ensure solutions for the intersection meet safety objectives whilst also appropriately considering the strategic direction, vision, and design of the project.

Council will therefore maintain the temporary arrangements at the intersection until the Shrine to Sea project is implemented. During this period, Council will install numerous tree planters to improve the visual amenity of this area.

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FAQ

Background
In response to a community petition, Council resolved in July 2020 to close the central median at the intersection of Kerferd Road with Herbert and Montague Streets, Albert Park, as part of an 18 month safety improvements trial. A counter-petition opposing the trial was received in September 2020, and the trial placed on hold. Council officers commissioned a traffic movement survey and an independent road safety audit to assist with decision-making.

At the Ordinary Council Meeting on 2 December 2020, Council decided to proceed with the trial, but amend the trial period to six months. The trial will include closing the central median of this intersection to motor vehicles, consistent with the findings of the independent road safety audit. The decision was based on:
- a history of concerns raised by the community (including the petition received June 2020)
- previous classification of the intersection as a road safety blackspot
- being a high risk for high-speed side-impact crashes, due to the intersection crossing being staggered, its sightlines impacted, and it crosses a two-lane carriageway in a 60 km/h zone.
The purpose of the six-month trial of safety improvements is to:

a) deter through traffic

b) encourage compliance with the speed limit and

c) improve the safety for people walking, bike riding and driving on these local streets.

The installation of temporary kerbing and line marking will result in the following temporary changes:
- no right turns into Kerferd Road from Montague or Herbert Streets
- no through movements from Montague Street into Herbert Street
- no through movement from Herbert Street into Montague Street
- left in and left out vehicle movements only at the intersection of Kerferd Road and Montague Street
- left in and left out vehicle movements only at the intersection of Kerferd Road and Herbert Street
- painted kerb extensions to shorten pedestrian crossing distances over Kerferd Road and Herbert Street.
Consistent with the findings of the independent road safety audit, Council will also:
- improve the regulatory signage and refresh the road and line marking
- remove bollards on Kerferd Road that have been identified as striking hazards and replace with rubber kerbing or equivalent to maintain the same traffic management function.
The safety improvements trial will be installed in the first quarter of 2021, and a Have Your Say survey will open for community feedback on the impact of the trial at that time.

Community members are welcome to provide feedback prior to the survey opening and installation of the works via email at majortransportprojects@portphillip.vic.gov.au or by phoning Assist on 03 9209 6777.
How long will the trial period be?
The amended trial will take place until the end of this year, 2021.

The decision to proceed with the temporary closure of the Kerferd Road median has been informed by an independent road safety audit (completed November 2020), which identified several significant road safety risks and recommendations. A survey of traffic movements at the Kerferd Road intersection with Herbert and Montague Streets was also commissioned (completed in October 2020 under Stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions), and further data will be collected prior to commencement of the trial to use as a baseline for evaluation of the trial.

The trial will allow Council time to assess the impacts (positive and negative ) of the works, and to then consider whether to retain, change or remove the temporary traffic management measures after the trial has ended.

During the trial, Council officers are delegated to make minor changes if required, in response to community feedback.
Why is the median being closed?
The decision to close the median is based on:
- a history of concerns raised by the community (including the petition received June 2020)
- previous classification of the intersection as a road safety blackspot
- being a high risk for high-speed side-impact crashes, due to the intersection crossing being staggered, its sightlines impacted, and it crosses a two-lane carriageway in a 60 km/h zone.
- The findings of the independent road safety audit.
The temporary closure of the central median to vehicles will address most of these conflicts and the safety risks identified in the road safety audit.
Why is Council proceeding with the trial when the original petition only attracted 26 signatures compared to the counter-petition’s 250+ signatures opposing the trial?
- Council defines a petition as having more than five (5) signatures
- the original petition was completed in person
- the counter-petition was completed online via the Change.org platform (and therefore had a broader reach)
- Council officers are required to respond to the issues raised in a petition and provide a recommendation based on professional expertise, local knowledge and evidence.
Given the opposing views presented by the two petitions, Council officers commissioned a road safety audit to inform the appropriate response at this intersection. The amended trial reflects the audit findings and Council’s decision at its 2 December 2020 ordinary Council meeting.
Why didn’t the counter-petition prevent the trial from proceeding?
In Council’s road management role, we have a responsibility to respond to legitimate safety concerns. Safety treatments can result in an impact on amenity which can often divide community sentiment, as has happened in this instance.

Decisions are either managed under delegation by Council officers, or taken to Council for decision.

In this case, Council wanted to act quickly to reduce the risk of crashes as a priority. Council also needs to address the findings of the road safety audit and consider the potential impact(s) on the organisation of not taking actions to address the risks.
Why was a roundabout, or other treatment, not proposed for the trial?
The amended trial enables Council to understand the impact on travel to nearby destinations, and inform a safe solution to the issues at this intersection with consideration for the surrounding road network.

The road safety audit found that a protected roundabout or a protected intersection “…would not be as effective in reducing risk as the intersection closure.”
How long are the alternative routes required by closure of the median?
There are three primary alternative routes people can choose from:
- A: From Herbert Street to Bridport Street shops: 700m (an additional 350m distance)
- B: From Herbert Street to Albert Road: 1,100m (an additional 600m distance)
- C: From Montague Street to Kerferd Road (South)/ Richardson Street: 800m (an additional 450m distance)
How will Council evaluate the success of this trial?

Council officers will evaluate the effectiveness of the trial using a combination of data collection, community feedback and analysis.

Purpose of Trial	Measure of success	Metric
*Deter through traffic on local streets*	No increase in traffic volumes on Herbert and Montague Streets.	Changes to the number of vehicles travelling along Herbert and Montague Streets; and those using the Kerferd Road and Hambleton Street intersection.
	Perceived reduction in traffic using Herbert and Montague streets.	Perceptions of the number of vehicles travelling on Herbert, Montague and adjoining streets.
	Perceived reduction in the convenience of travel using the alternative routes.	Perceived impact of the temporary closure of the Kerferd Road median on people’s travel convenience. *Note:* Council is aware that implementing this trial is expected to introduce some inconvenience.
*Encourage compliance with the speed limit*	No increase in vehicle speeds on local roads. Increased compliance with speed limit (as a percentage).	Changes to the % of vehicles recorded travelling at or below the posted speed limit (40k/h on Herbert, Montague and Hambleton Streets; 60k/h on Kerferd Road).
*Encourage compliance with the speed limit*	Speed of vehicles is perceived to be more consistent with the signed speed limits for each street/ road.	Perceptions of vehicle speeds at this intersection and approaches (Herbert St, Montague St, Kerferd Road).
*Improve the safety for people walking, bike riding and driving, on these local streets.*	No reduction in the number of people walking and/or bike riding through this intersection. *Note:* compared to baseline and historic count data as walking and bike riding vary with seasons.	Changes to the number of people walking across Kerferd Road. Changes to the number of people bike riding across Kerferd Road.
	No increase in number of crashes based on formal police reports. No increase in number of observed crashes (not formally reported)/near misses/unsafe behaviours reported at intersections.	Reports of any crashes at the Kerferd Road intersection with Herbert and Montague Streets. Reports of any other crashes on Kerferd Road and at intersections between Richardson and Ferrars Streets.
	People feel more confident using this intersection if walking and/ or bike riding as a result of the trial.	Changes to perceptions of safety in walking and/or bike riding through this intersection (Herbert St, Montague St, Kerferd Rd).

What are the traffic volumes on the roads that will be affected?
- Herbert Street: 820 average per day
- Montague Street: 3,600 average per day
- Kerferd Road: 13,885 average per day.
Please note these numbers are based on pre-Covid-19 data. We will provide traffic volume data on request.
Will the redistribution of traffic cause safety or congestion issues elsewhere?
Based on historical vehicle volumes and recent turning movement summaries recorded in Montague and Herbert Streets, the levels of traffic that will be diverted are considered low: approximately 2-3 vehicles per minute during peak hours. Out of peak hours this redistribution is likely to be considerably less.

Throughout the trial, Council encourages community members to provide feedback on the changes and to report any adverse impacts that may result from the temporary road closure. Council officers will investigate any issues reported.
Why isn’t Council lowering the speed limit?
The Victorian Government is responsible for setting and changing speed limits.

Council requested VicRoads (now part of the Department of Transport) lower the speed limit on Kerferd Road to 50k/h to improve safety when implementing a decision made at an Ordinary Council Meeting on 16 May 2018. This request was not supported by VicRoads as Kerferd Road is a straight road with two traffic lanes in each direction, making compliance with a reduced speed limit difficult without changing the design of the road to discourage higher speeds.

Council will seek the reduction in the speed limit to 50k/h for consideration by the Department of Transport as part of any future works by the Victorian Government that change the design of Kerferd Road.
How is the trial related to the Shrine to Sea project?
The $13 million Shrine to Sea project is led by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning working in partnership with City of Port Phillip, Parks Victoria and the Department of Transport. It will enhance the safety and amenity of the boulevard that stretches along Albert and Kerferd Roads, from St Kilda Road to Beaconsfield Parade. The evaluation of the trial at Kerferd Road will be used to inform the final design of the Shrine to Sea project.

For more information on Shrine to Sea, visit https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strateg...

Document Library

Summary of Traffic Counts
MS Excel (762.17 KB)

Contact Us

Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:

Name	Domain Precinct Team
Phone	03 9209 6777
Email	ASSIST@portphillip.vic.gov.au