It’s not often that an intersection redesign benefits all road users – motorists, pedestrians and cyclists alike. More often than not compromises have to be made, and often it’s cyclists who get the raw end of the deal. But increasingly we’re seeing the AT design team stepping up, and the Calliope Rd/Victoria Rd intersection at the entrance to Devonport Village is a case in point. Here we have an intersection where:
- Vehicles travel too fast, evidenced by the “out of control” crash record and the substantial armco barriers designed to protect footpath users
- Calliope Rd vehicles are subject to excessive delay, often leading to them “pushing the envelope” on the Stop signs
- Pedestrians crossing Calliope Rd have to make do with an inadequate central median, a real issue given that Devonport Primary School is nearby
- Apart from an inadequate shared path, there is no cycling provision, despite this being a major cycling conduit between the Devonport Ferry Terminal and the Lake Rd cycle lanes and Green Route to the north.
The AT team have come up with a roundabout design, but it’s not your scary dual circulating lane type of roundabout that puts the fear of God into even the most battle-hardened commuter cyclists. This one is carefully designed with single lane approaches that force traffic on all legs to slow down and navigate a tight radius turn.
On-road cyclists are catered for either by dedicated cycle lanes with physical protection, or by sharrows indicating their preferred location in slow moving traffic. Less confident cyclists and pedestrians can make use of generous shared paths and zebra crossings over two of the three legs of the roundabout. Having the zebra crossings relatively close to the roundabout combine to reinforce the slow speed requirements for the intersection.
So our response to AT was to congratulate them on a well thought out design, with just a few detail areas for consideration. A far cry from a few years ago where we had to battle to get any sort of cycling provision in a redesign at all. That’s why we see this as a win-win-win for all users of this intersection – motorists, pedestrians and cyclists alike. In fact we also see a fourth win in there, and that’s for Devonport itself.
Imagine this intersection at the entry to Devonport village being one of the design elements of a 30kph slow speed zone extending through the village right through to the ferry terminal and in both directions along the waterfront, integrating with the Marine Square development.
Devonport is already an attractive location for locals and tourists alike. Just think how it could be enhanced with more pedestrians and cyclists enjoying traffic-calmed spaces.
