Gardiners Creek Trail Closure

For those of you who use Gardiners Creek Trail, here's what the City of Boroondara had to say in an e-mail to Pamela about the current detour;

15 August 2008

Dear Ms Hammond

Re: Gardiners Creek Trail Diversion

Thank you for your e-mail of 5 August 2008 regarding the closure of the Gardiners Creek Trail.

I wish to advise that the section of the Gardiners Creek Trail between Tooronga Road and Great Valley Road will be closed for a period of 12 months until July 2009 to allow for construction of the Monash Freeway widening works, the re-alignment of Gardiners Creek and the development of the Glen Iris Wetland.

The freeway works, undertaken by the Monash Alliance necessitated the closure on 15 July 2008.

The Glen Iris Wetland works (west of Burke Road) to be undertaken by Melbourne Water, are proposed to commence by mid to end August 2008. The realignment and widening of Gardiners Creek between Tooronga Road and the Wetland site, to be also undertaken by Melbourne Water, is tentatively proposed to commence at the end of September 2008.

Realignment and widening of Gardiners Creek is necessary to reduce flood levels and to improve water flow and the stability of the creek embankment. It is noted that a section of the creek embankment collapsed in late December 2007 which resulted in the closure of the trail for 2 weeks to allow for emergency remedial works by Melbourne Water.

The freeway works are part of the State Government's commitment to widen the Monash Freeway to provide an additional traffic lane in each direction.

At the conclusion of the works a new wider path will be provided between Tooronga Road and Burke Road.

In the interim, a detour route for the trail involves the use of Tooronga Road, Carroll Crescent, Wills Street and Great Valley Road in the City of Stonnington and is considered to be the most practical solution (see attached plan). This route essentially utilises local and lower order local roads and the on road bicycle lanes in Tooronga Road. The City of Stonnington is also installing traffic calming treatments along Carroll Crescent to encourage motorists to travel more slowly, further enhancing the safety along this section of road. These works are nearing completion.

Use of Burke and Toorak Roads was not considered appropriate given that both roads are major arterial roads with heavy volumes of traffic travelling at speed, particularly Toorak Road.

The former Tooronga Village site is privately owned by Stockland and is currently being redeveloped with major earthworks occurring within its boundary. On this basis, use of private land and a construction site was not supported on several grounds, including safety.

The local street network in the City of Boroondara west of Burke Road provides no connection to Tooronga Road. It comprises a number of no through roads that link to Burke Road South Reserve and an indirect connection to Toorak Road.

As part of the Wetland works, major drains are proposed to be installed within the reserve which will restrict access through the reserve and use of the oval. Again whilst use of Burke Road, the street network and Toorak Road is still possible, it was not considered appropriate to formalise a detour given the steep grades and the volume and speed of traffic on Burke and Toorak Roads.

In view of the above, the local street network in the City of Stonnington was considered to be the most suitable detour in view of the constraints.

In relation to the other issues raised in your e-mail, I wish to advise the following:

· Council approached contractors on behalf of the Monash Alliance and Melbourne Water to seal, compact and sweep the temporary access path as a matter of urgency. The path was sealed on 28 July 2008 and a request was also sent through for the path to be swept. This matter will be followed up, including sweeping of the footpath and the on road bike lane in Tooronga Road.

· Additional detour and information signs along the entire detour route are proposed to be installed within the next week.

A copy of the detour route and a plan showing the extent of the Freeway, Creek and Wetland works is attached.

Should you require any further information in relation to the Monash Freeway or Melbourne Water works, please contact one of the following:

Monash Freeway Alliance
Communications
Ph: 9834 4700

Melbourne Water
Communications
Ph: 131 722

Should you require any other details please contact me.

Yours sincerely
Jim Hondrakis

Team Leader Transport Management
ph. 9278 4546
fax 9278 4512

e-mail : jim.hondrakis@boroondara.vic.gov.au

City of Boroondara
Private Bag 1
Camberwell 3124