News & Discussion: Adelaide City Council

[Waewick]

The city ring route just isn't functional enough in its present state to entice cross-city traffic to avoid the CBD -- particularly for those travelling east/west.

This is an important point. Its no use chipping away at the available "thru" routes of the CBD, by the tactics of reducing limits, narrowing of roads, poor sequencing of lights, if something is not done immediately about the next to useless ring route. It is still quicker to travel from Main North Road to Hyde Park via King William Street than the bypass. Visa versa the CBD will never be free of unnecessary traffic until a proper viable ring route is established ie, no, or limited traffic lights. The only cars in the CBD core should ultimately be local residents, delivery vehicles and public transport ie taxis.

It would be an interesting challenge to fix it, they are going to have to make some sarifices to make it happen which I just can't see as politically palatable - I'm not sure why, given Labor win ever local election anyway you'd think they'd just do it.

[Nathan]

I don't think the ring road is as bad as people think it is. Most parts flow quite easily, and traffic light waits tend to be ok. Excepting of course through the O-Bahn works at the moment, and Greenhill Rd.

[Llessur2002]

I don't think the ring road is as bad as people think it is. Most parts flow quite easily, and traffic light waits tend to be ok. Excepting of course through the O-Bahn works at the moment, and Greenhill Rd.

I use it regularly to get from Port Road round to Norwood/Dulwich and it really isn't that bad at all. Granted, my travel is outside of peak hours but even then I believe it is quicker to travel around the CBD (either via Park/Fitzroy Terraces or West Terrace/Greenhill Road) than through it. Even if not you're only talking a couple of minutes difference. For a nicer CBD with less traffic I don't think it's too great a sacrifice.

Have a look at traffic light sequencing, extending clearway hours etc by all means but the bones of the route really aren't bad at all. I think it just has an unnecessarily bad reputation.

[claybro]

I don't think the ring road is as bad as people think it is. Most parts flow quite easily, and traffic light waits tend to be ok. Excepting of course through the O-Bahn works at the moment, and Greenhill Rd.

I use it regularly to get from Port Road round to Norwood/Dulwich and it really isn't that bad at all. Granted, my travel is outside of peak hours but even then I believe it is quicker to travel around the CBD (either via Park/Fitzroy Terraces or West Terrace/Greenhill Road) than through it. Even if not you're only talking a couple of minutes difference. For a nicer CBD with less traffic I don't think it's too great a sacrifice.

Have a look at traffic light sequencing, extending clearway hours etc by all means but the bones of the route really aren't bad at all. I think it just has an unnecessarily bad reputation.

Try the same route, in reverse around 4pm....A nightmare!

[Llessur2002]

Try the same route, in reverse around 4pm....A nightmare!

But would driving through the CBD with its traffic lights, intersections etc be much, if any, quicker?

[claybro]

Yep, about 10 mins quicker. The problem spots are the Wine Centre intersection and then around the Port Road train/tram brewery corner. Absolute Headf.u.k

[Llessur2002]

around the Port Road train/tram brewery corner

The Torrens Junction improvements should sort that out. Presumably then if the Wine Centre part of the route was fixed then it would rival or beat a through-CBD route in driving time?

[claybro]

Absolutely. Only then should ACC get serious about thru traffic reduction in the CBD.

[Llessur2002]

I'll write a(nother) strongly worded letter to Anne Moran.

[Nathan]

The Port Rd intersection (ignoring priority for trams and the level crossing) favours the peak traffic flow. Turning right onto Park Tce in the morning takes ages, but not much of an issue at other times.

The wine centre intersection will greatly be improved once the O-Bahn tunnel is completed.

[Waewick]

I don't think the ring road is as bad as people think it is. Most parts flow quite easily, and traffic light waits tend to be ok. Excepting of course through the O-Bahn works at the moment, and Greenhill Rd.

I use it regularly to get from Port Road round to Norwood/Dulwich and it really isn't that bad at all. Granted, my travel is outside of peak hours but even then I believe it is quicker to travel around the CBD (either via Park/Fitzroy Terraces or West Terrace/Greenhill Road) than through it. Even if not you're only talking a couple of minutes difference. For a nicer CBD with less traffic I don't think it's too great a sacrifice.

Have a look at traffic light sequencing, extending clearway hours etc by all means but the bones of the route really aren't bad at all. I think it just has an unnecessarily bad reputation.

I have tried to use the ring route when travelling East/West but in my experience, straight down Wakefield even with road works is quicker.

Going Magill,Dequiteville etc around to Port Road will be better once the train lines are removed, but Greenhill is becoming a waste of time , especially when you try to get over to Richmond Road.

[claybro]

The Port Rd intersection (ignoring priority for trams and the level crossing) favours the peak traffic flow. Turning right onto Park Tce in the morning takes ages, but not much of an issue at other times.

The wine centre intersection will greatly be improved once the O-Bahn tunnel is completed.

How so? The problem is that there is a large volume of traffic using the ring route v's the large volume of traffic leaving the city. That whole stretch of the ring through Flinders, Rundle and Botanic intersections should be trenched to remove all the intersections, then the ACC can have CBD roads narrowed and reduced speed limits. The botanic corner is of particular concern and grade separating this alone would remove the traffic snarl along the ring route particularly in the PM. The ACC should be pushing hard for this as it will encourage commuters to stay on the ring route and not duck through the city as a shortcut to the North West.

[Nathan]

The Port Rd intersection (ignoring priority for trams and the level crossing) favours the peak traffic flow. Turning right onto Park Tce in the morning takes ages, but not much of an issue at other times.

The wine centre intersection will greatly be improved once the O-Bahn tunnel is completed.

How so? The problem is that there is a large volume of traffic using the ring route v's the large volume of traffic leaving the city. That whole stretch of the ring through Flinders, Rundle and Botanic intersections should be trenched to remove all the intersections, then the ACC can have CBD roads narrowed and reduced speed limits. The botanic corner is of particular concern and grade separating this alone would remove the traffic snarl along the ring route particularly in the PM. The ACC should be pushing hard for this as it will encourage commuters to stay on the ring route and not duck through the city as a shortcut to the North West.

Because most of the traffic issues at the intersection are due to the large volume of bus movements. Look at the utter shit-show of the bus lanes on Botanic Rd (mostly caused by motorists who can't read the f**king signs, thereby creating two lanes of traffic trying to swap lanes with each other to either turn or avoid a stopped bus). The O-Bahn tunnel will effectively remove all buses (bar the routes continuing on straight to North Tce through Kent Town / St Peters) from the intersection.

[mshagg]

I have tried to use the ring route when travelling East/West but in my experience, straight down Wakefield even with road works is quicker.

Going Magill,Dequiteville etc around to Port Road will be better once the train lines are removed, but Greenhill is becoming a waste of time , especially when you try to get over to Richmond Road.

Agreed on a direct east/west journey but it's difficult to envisage a ring route which takes a significant detour north/south of the CBD, serves the major arterial roads along that route and is also quicker than a direct path through the middle of the city. The ring route's real value comes into play when it's used to avoid a trip through north adelaide.

At any rate, the context of the discussion is that of reducing CBD limits to 40. I'd suggest the travel time along wakefield/grote at most times of the day would not be materially impacted. Other trans CBD routes which are impacted materially by a 10km/hr reduction (hard to think of many) would make the ring route look more attractive. Win-Win.

[Waewick]

I have tried to use the ring route when travelling East/West but in my experience, straight down Wakefield even with road works is quicker.

Going Magill,Dequiteville etc around to Port Road will be better once the train lines are removed, but Greenhill is becoming a waste of time , especially when you try to get over to Richmond Road.

Agreed on a direct east/west journey but it's difficult to envisage a ring route which takes a significant detour north/south of the CBD, serves the major arterial roads along that route and is also quicker than a direct path through the middle of the city. The ring route's real value comes into play when it's used to avoid a trip through north adelaide.

At any rate, the context of the discussion is that of reducing CBD limits to 40. I'd suggest the travel time along wakefield/grote at most times of the day would not be materially impacted. Other trans CBD routes which are impacted materially by a 10km/hr reduction (hard to think of many) would make the ring route look more attractive. Win-Win.

see I think we should be trying to make the ring route better the encourage usage - at the same time as making the direct route less attractive.

Greenhill should be easy - fix up the Anzac Highway intersection (I said easy, not cheap) and I would remove the Sir Lewin Cohen intersection. (Ideally the Hutt street extension as well)