23/02/2015 VictoriaWalks:CasestudysharedspaceinBendigo

http://www.victoriawalks.org.au/Bendigo_shared_space/ 1/2

SharedspaceatBullandHargreavesStreets

CasestudysharedspaceinBendigoBendigocitycentrehasbeenredevelopedwithafocusonpublicrealmimprovementstoimprovepedestrianspaces.ThisincludestheinnovativeWalkBendigosharedspacewhichaimstoincreasethelevelsofalertnessandresponsivenessofallstreetuserstotheirsurroundingsdrivers,pedestriansandcyclists.

Byredesigningtraditionalstreetspaceswithpedestrianstylepaving,furnitureandfittings,andinsodoingincreasingthelevelofambiguityatintersectionsandstreets,ithasbeenshownthatthepsychologyofstreetuserscanbemodifiedtoprovideasaferandmoreamenablecity.Theremovalofthingssuchastrafficlightsandroadmarkingsallservetoincreasetheuncertaintyofspace.Byencouragingunpredictabilityandcreatinguncertaintyinthemindsofallroadusers,vigilanceandcareareimproved,resultinginsaferstreetsandthepotentialforahigherqualitypedestrianandcyclistenvironment.

Thenewintersectionsusingthesharedspacemodelallowlevelanddirectpedestriancrossingroutes.Thewholeintersectionisanintermingledtrafficspacewithpedestriansabletotraversebetween,behindandinfrontofslowmovingvehicleandcycletraffic.Theinstallationoftexturedrumblestripsandapproachrampswillprovidedriverswiththephysicalcuestoslowdown.Thereducedspeedswillinturncreatesaferpedestrianspacesandencouragemorepedestrianactivity.

AnalysisofspeedinHargreavesStreetshowthatthechangeshavereducedaveragespeedsdramatically,from40km/hto2629km/h.

ThesharedspacecomplementsHargreavesMall,whichisprimarilyapedestrianspace,butstillhasrestrictedvehicleaccess.

HargreavesMallhasaclearspacetoallowvehicletraffic,althoughaccessisrestricted