FAQ
What does the proposal entail?
The City of Perth and Main Roads WA have reconfigured the traffic signals at the intersections of William St / Hay St and William St / Murray St to include an additional pedestrian crossing phase at each intersection.
What are the benefits of the proposal?
Over 2,000 pedestrians cross at the intersections of William St / Hay St and William St / Murray St during the week day peak hour periods, making them the city's busiest locations for foot traffic. The modifications provide twice as many opportunities for pedestrians to cross the road compared to the existing situation, and results in pedestrian waiting times being reduced to 35 - 55 seconds. This enables more efficient pedestrian movements across William St and minimises the build-up of pedestrians waiting to cross at the traffic lights. The initiative also leads to improved road safety by providing more frequent crossing opportunities, meaning people will be less frustrated by their delay and are less likely to cross during the red man.
Why has this been proposed?
The City of Perth Transport Strategy articulates the City's desire to become 'A Walking City'. The City's goal is to ensure walking is the preferred mode of travel in the CBD. Improving walkability helps to achieve public health, environmental and economic benefits in the City of Perth.
What other improvements has the City of Perth implemented to improve walkability?
The City of
Perth has implemented a number of initiatives with the objective of improving
walkability, these include:
-
Parallel Walks: The introduction of Parallel Walk phasing has
improved the efficiency of traffic signals in the City with reduced wait times
for pedestrians and improved travel times for public transport and other
vehicles.
-
Pedestrian Countdown Timers: These inform pedestrians of how
many seconds they have left to cross the road and help to improve the
intersection efficiency and safety for both pedestrians, cyclists and motorists
alike.
-
Reduced Traffic Signal Cycle Times: Lower cycle times (i.e.
the time taken for signals to complete a full sequence of lights) have resulted
in less delays for pedestrians, buses and other vehicles. Lower cycle times have created a more
pedestrian oriented street environment in the CBD.
How will this affect the road network?
The City of
Perth has undertaken extensive traffic modelling to assess the feasibility and potential
impact of the proposed changes. Findings from this assessment reveal the impact
to bus services and motorists will be negligible.