The following information was provided by Unley City Council on the work being done on roundabouts in Cambridge Terrace Unley.
"The upgrade of the roundabouts on Cambridge Terrace at Wattle Street and at Fisher Street is fully funded through the Federal Government Black Spot Program, there is no financial impact to the Unley City Council.
There is a consistent crash history involving cyclists at the intersection of Cambridge Terrace/Fisher Street, with four casualty crashes and two property damage only crashes in the past 5 years. The crash history involving cyclists at the intersection of Cambridge Terrace/Wattle Street has been three casualty crashes and four property damage only crashes in the past 5 years.
Austroads published a research report titled ‘Bicycle Safety at Roundabouts’, which found that most roundabouts permit relatively high entry speeds (excess of 30 km/h), whereas a radial-type alignment achieves approach and circulating speeds to less than 30 km/h. The report also cites research showing the radial roundabout design allows a cyclist to negotiate the roundabout in a more prominent position, which improves sight distance between motorists and cyclists.
The roundabout upgrades on Cambridge Terrace replace the ‘tangential’ roundabouts to slower speed ‘radial’ roundabouts, which are anticipated to reduce the frequency and severity of road crashes, whilst also encouraging more active transport.
This project is consistent with the following State Strategic Safety Strategies:
· Providing lower speed environments where motor vehicles and bicycles travel at comparable speeds.
Provide cyclists with attractive alternatives to travelling on arterial roads.
Create safer neighbourhoods and pedestrian friendly streets with lower vehicle travel speeds.
Support local government and communities through grants and programs to influence road users towards safer, greener and more active travel.
Aside from the safety aspects of the roundabouts, the roundabouts were due for replacement due to damage by heavy vehicles, and so fortuitously Council have not needed to fund the replacement/upgrade. Also, the new design incorporates an outer concrete annulus to allow for heavy vehicles to mount without damaging the roundabouts.
The works are in full swing on Fisher Street with an anticipated completion date of early December 2019."
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