.. 11 VICTORIA- - -• - • VICTORIAN TRANSPORT STUDY - REPORT ON I METROPOLITAN ROADS I • - • Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be printed • ...-------._... - - -11 - • I No. 37 • VICTORIAN TRANSPORT STUDY The Honourable R.R.C. Maclellan, M.L.A., Minister of Transport, 570 Bourke Street, MELBOURNE, VIC. 3000. Dear Mr. Maclellan, I have the pleasure to submit herewith a report on Metropolitan Roads. This is one of a series of reports being prepared to make known the results of the Victorian Transport Study. Yours sincerely, W.M. Lonie. METROPOLITAN ROADS CONTENTS Summary 1. Introduction 2. The Existing Road System and its Usage 3, Past Significant Events Relating to Metropolitan Transport Planning 4. Submissions 5. The Draft Transport Plan 1978 6. Metropolitan Growth Strategies 7. Future Road Travel 8. Existing Road System Needs and Concerns 9. Current Techniques for Developing Roads 10. Maintenance 11. Traffic Management 12. Protection of Future Options 13. Construction of New Works 14. Future Needs and Development Proposals 15. Strategy for Road Development 16. Priorities for Road Development 17. Recommendations SUMMARY The Melbourne metropolitan area comprises some 2000 sq km of relatively l0w d~nsity city and suburban development, w1th a population of 2.7 million persons, There is currently close to one registered motor vehicle for each two persons in the metropolitan area, and the motor vehicle is the dominant form of transport for the movement of both persons and goods, This report firstly describes the existing road system and its usage. It summarises past significant events relating to metropolitan transport planning, and outlines the submissions made to the Study relating to metropolitan roads. It includes some notes on the draft Transport Plan 1978, and discusses metropolitan growth strategies. The report indicates that road travel in the metropolitan area is likely to continue to increase in the foreseeable future. It then outlines in fairly general terms the existing and likely future road system needs. A strategy for addressing these needs is described. The report concludes with some appropriate recommendations. 2. 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Metropolitan Melbourne, comprising some 2,000 square kilometres of city and suburban development, now houses some 2.7 million people, and extends up to 40 Km from the seat of government of the State. 1.2 Since World War 11, as a result of a doubling in the population, and continued outward growth of the urban area, predominately to the east and south-east, the statistical centre of the metropolitan area has shifted to approximately 13 Km to the east of the original city development, commonly called the Central Business District. As a result, the centre of population is now well to the east of the central focus of the radial train system which was largely developed by the turn of the century when the metropolitan population was of the order of half a million. 1.3 In the Melbourne metropolitan area,the motor vehicle is now the dominant form of travel, (Figure 1), a domination which reflects the high standard of living and the nature of the urban development, in the post World War 11 period, and a highly mobile and flexible lifestyle, 1.4 Approximately 88% of the total people movements trips made by some form of transport other than walking or cycling in the metropolitan area ~ by motor vehicle. Virtually all freight tasks or movements within the metropolitan area take place on roads, as does all public transport other than the suburban electric train system. The key to transport activities within Victoria, and the metropolitan area in particular, is the road system and the nature of its evolution, 1.5 All of the road system of the 19th Century Melbourne, i.e. the area within about 8 Km of the original centre, was laid out before the advent of the motor car, and in the context of completely different conditions to those pertaining today. However, this system still ten~ to dominate the traffic patterns of the metropolitan area, and the actions of municipal and state authorities, planners and developers. Representations made to the Study in the form of submissions and discussions basically reflect these attitudes, the lifestyle, and the work experience of those making the submissions. 1.6 In the inner city area, the road system predated the evolution of the railway system. The tram system evolved in the context of the development pattern of the inner suburbs, and in the absence of any alternative other than horse drawn vehicles. The metropolitan city of the post World War 11 period developed in the context of freely available motor transport and motor fuels, a high standard of living, completely different economic conditions to those pertaining in the earlier pioneer period, a changing social environment, and completely different demands and expectations from the road system. 25 20 =g .. = •. = . ~ • •. l:3 15 • a:: •• 1- • UJ .• :::::= . 0 •• _J • :;;:: .•• "' a:: .• ~ 10 . z .·· UJ V> ..· V> 0: <.:. "~.·•• _J ::"-~··· <( 'X_~ •• • ::::> z: .· z: 5 <( ... .... TRANSPORT .-···. tramway bus ............. ··········· ······ ..... 0 ········ .... 1920 1925 193{) 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 YEAR ENDING JUNE Source :Melbourne & Metropolitan Board of Works FIGURE 1 ANNUAL PASSENGER TRAVEL IN MELBOURNE 4. 1.7 The large number of motor vehicles used within the metropolitan complex of roads can be considered to be a reliable indicator of the State's prosperity and progress, and demonstrates peoples' preference for a flexible transport system. At the same time there is a degree of criticism of the motor vehicle, and some advocate that people should be forced to use public transport. An interesting facit of the objection to the use of the motor car is the continuing use of motor transport, on account of its flexibility and convenience and reliability factors, by some of the objectors. 1.8 The evolution of motor transport and imposition of this flexible form of transport on the 19th and early 20th Century road system has not all been beneficial and some problems have emerged particularly in the last 10 years. For example, travel by motor transport has evolved certain characteristics with little or no regard for other modes of transport or the environment in which it takes place, As a result, the wishes and desires of people travelling by motor vehicle are incompatible with the desires and wishes of the people living in the areas through which they wish to travel, and with the availability of funds to meet desires insofar as the road system is concerned. 1.9 This report firstly briefly describes the existing road system and its usage. It summarises past significant events relating to metropolitan transport planning and then outlines the submissions made to the Study relating to metropolitan roads. It then discussed metropolitan growth strategies, and includes some notes on the Draft Transport Plan 1978. 1.10 Some estimates of future road travel in the metropolitan area are put forward. The report then outlines in general terms the existing road system needs. It then discusses the four main categories of road developments, namely maintenance, traffic management, protection of future options and construction of new works. 1.11 Expected future needs in the metropolitan road system are identified, and a strategy for addressing current and expected future needs is described. The report concludes with some appropriate recommendations. 5. 2. THE EXISTI~G ROAD SYSTEM AND ITS USAGE 2.1 The existing road system in the Melbourne Statistical Division comprises a total of 19,432 km, made up as follows : Freeways 115 km State Highways 407 km t'lain Roads 1,505 km Tourists Roads 31 km Metropolitan Bridges Unclassified Roads 17,374 km 19,432 km 2.2 Freeways, State Highways, Main Roads, Tourists Roads and Metropolitan Bridges are roads declared in accordance with the provisions of the Country Roads Act, Main Roads and unclassified roads are under the direct control of the local municipalities, The remaining categories of roads are under the direct control of the Country Roads Board. Other agencies also have responsibilities for certain aspects of the road system. 2.3 548 km of the road system are divided roads, including 115 km of freeways, and 220 km of State Highways, 2.4 The widths of road reservations vary from approximately 15 metres to 60 metres, with the width of over half the system being close to 20 metres, 2.5 For the State as a whole, there are now 510 registered motor vehicles (including trucks and motor cycles) per 1,000 population. There are 410 registered motor cars and station wagons per 1,000 population, For the metropolitan area, comparable figures would be close to 495 and 395 respectively, i,e, within the metropolitan area there are approximately 1.3 million motor vehicles (including trucks and motor cycles), or over 1 million motor cars and station wagons. 2.6 The Ministry of Transport estimated that in 1977 17% of households in Melbourne had no cars, 47.1% had one car, 29,5% had two cars and 6.4% had three or more cars. The percentage of households with no cars has fallen from 36.6% in 1964, and the percentage of households with two or more cars has risen from 14.0% in 1964 to 35.9% in 1977, 2.7 In 1964, there were 1.08 trips per person per day by motor vehicle in the metropolitan area, being 64% of the total trips per person per day. By 1972 these figures had risen to 1.83 trips per person per day, and 80% of the total trips. Based on preliminary results from the 1978-79 Home Interview Survey, conducted by the Ministry of Transport, it is estimated that in 1978 there were approximately 2.0 trips (or close to 88% of the total trips) per person per day by motor vehicle.