City of Boroondara: Gardiners Creek Trail Project
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The Project forms part of a Community Infrastructure program established by the Commonwealth Government, to assist regional development and partner activities, and associated projects.
The project closes the gap in the Gardiners Creek shared trail between Warrigal Road and the Solway Street Bridge in Ashburton. The result was to provide a continuous shared path from its start in Box Hill South to its intersection with the Main Yarra Trail, near Scotch College in Hawthorn.
Project objectives
This project closes a key gap in the Gardiners Creek Trail. The Cities of Boroondara, Stonnington, Monash, and Vic Roads support the project. The gap exists from Warrigal Road, Ashwood to the Solway Street Bridge in Ashburton. The project resulted in a continuous shared path from its start in Box Hill South to its intersection with the Main Yarra Trail, near Scotch College in Hawthorn. It created access to parks, places of education, shopping centres, bus stops, Alamein, East Malvern and Holmesglen Stations and access for bike commuters to the city and north along Anniversary Trail. The project fills a gap in an important shared path with strong links to Anniversary Trail and the Main Yarra Trail.
Project Outcomes
The project involved 5 stages and has delivered the following community benefits:
- Stage 1 – Construction of a new Shared path along Markham Ave & Ashburn Gr connecting into Anniversary Trail.
- Stage 2 – Construction of a new Shared path through Markham Victory Reserve.
- Stage 3 – Construction of the Gardiners Creek Bridge and Warrigal Road underpass.
- Stage 4 – Removal and Replacement of the Solway Street Bridge
- Stage 5 – Regrading the path connection onto the new Solway Street Bridge.
Innovative features of the project
The project crossed a number of municipal boundaries which included the Cities of Boroondara, Stonnington, Monash, and was also supported by Vic Roads. This added a level of complexity to the project. A delivery model was chosen which enabled the City of Boroondara to project manage the delivery of the project on behalf of the interested parties. A staged approach was chosen with each of the components being tendered and delivered separately. Other innovative features included solar lighting along a significant section of the path and a cantilevered underpass under an existing road bridge to minimize the effects creek flows during flood.
Distinguishing features of the project
The project had multiple stakeholders from a number of municipalities. This is unique for a municipality to be delivering projects on behalf of other councils. From a design perspective working along a busy cycle path required significant interaction with the community and a well established communication strategy.
Barriers overcome to achieve success
- Significant impact on community during construction of the various stages.
- Managing the financials over a number of stages and funding bodies
- Managing delivery for a number of municipalities
- Storm events while working in a flood plain
- Construction methodology and access for significant structures in a built environment
- Sustainable design and DDA compliance in an existing environment.
Costs/Benefits associated with the project
The total budget to complete all 5 stages of the work was $3,807,544. Each of the stages was completed on time and within budget. The project was identified in the City of Boroondara’s Markham/Victory Reserve Masterplan, 2000 which involved an extensive community consultation period and was endorsed by Council. Due it its importance it has been listed in or is consistent with many of Council’s policies and strategies including the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy, Integrated Transport Strategy, Open Space Policy, Leisure Facilities Strategy Plan, Council Plan 2006-2010 and 2007-2008 Budget. CrossingWarrigal Road has been a long running local access issue. VicRoads has been requested by various groups to install a pedestrian crossing acrossWarrigal Road oppositeVictory Boulevard, with no success.
Crossing Warrigal Road to access bus stops was difficult, particularly for the elderly. Pedestrian traffic is high due to the low rates of car ownership in the area. Closing the gap in the Gardiners Creek Trail provided an illuminated, 3m wide shared path under the Warrigal Road, Road Bridge and a bridge link over the creek.
This project has also been identified by Parks Victoria, Vic Roads, Bicycle Victoria and the Boroondara Bicycle Users Group as a gap in a key trail that must be filled.