Awarded for the Hutt Street Entry Statement, a City of Adelaide project with support from the South Australian Government. The Hutt Street Entry Statement supports more people to walk/wheel along Hutt Road to access the Hutt Street Main Street precinct, with new paths and significantly safer and more comfortable crossings.
About the Hutt Street Entry Statement
The Hutt Street Entry Statement has achieved the following against the defining criteria and guiding principles:
The Hutt Street Entry Statement, a City of Adelaide project with support from the South Australian Government, supports more people to walk/wheel along Hutt Road to access the Hutt Street Main Street precinct, with new paths and significantly safer and more comfortable crossings. A key innovation is the new Park Lands Trail crossing of Hutt Road (50km/h road), which is a Bicycle Pedestrian Actuated Crossing (BPAC) incorporating a Raised Safety Platform (RSP). Prior to the project, there was only a central refuge island and kerb ramps had very steep angles.
The new BPAC means that people walking/wheeling and cycling cross comfortably at grade. The signalisation of the crossing plus the RSP was to seek primary Safe System alignment, with drivers
made to slow and be more alert to the presence of the crossing. A new shared path runs along the eastern side and a new footpath along the western side of Hutt Road between the new crossing and Hutt Street (South Terrace), creating an accessible route into Hutt Street from the suburbs. The paths create links between the Park Lands Trail and Hutt Street plus more accessible paths to bus stops (which were previously unsealed).
Evidenced-based action and sustainability
South Australia’s Road Safety Strategy to 2031 notes that local government, as road managers, have a “shared responsibility for providing a safe road environment for all road users” and to apply Safe System approaches.
Signalisation is a supporting rather than a primary Safe System treatment, as highlighted in Austroads. Hutt Road is a 50km/h road and at 50km/h, crashes are more likely to occur, and more likely to result in death and serious injuries. A Raised Safety Platform (RSP) with the signals seeks a primary Safe System treatment with the platform reducing driver speeds, to reduce the likelihood and severity of death and serious injury.
Community engagement, participation, partnerships, and volunteerism
The project team undertook significant stakeholder and community engagement, including drop-in session and on-line surveys.
Equitable outcomes
The crossing and paths have created more inclusive outcomes. The crossing means that children, older adults and people with disability can cross with separation (in time) from vehicle traffic and with a smooth crossing that is more comfortable for people in wheelchairs. New lighting means the paths will feel safer at night, especially for women. New trees and planting will increase shade and cooling, making the facility more climate resilient (for more people can continue using active travel in summer). This is especially important for older adults and people with disability, who can suffer especially in the heat. New seating provides places for people to rest.
Sharing the learning
The Raised Safety Platform was a new element to many people, including to people within City of Adelaide. The project team drew on findings from Austroads reports and advice about seeking primary Safe System alignment – and the safety benefits with reduced vehicle speeds with use of RSPs.
Many details, needed to be worked through and agreed with DIT /SAPTA, including the RSP profile (grades) as it is a busy bus route, and the sign assemblages.
Key lessons learnt include the need to carefully consider delineation of path and road (vehicle) spaces. For future projects we will endeavour to undertake detailed before and after traffic surveys (vehicle speeds, counts of people) to understand the change in speeds and usage.
