Melbourne to Close CBD Streets in Favour of an Innovative New Walking Plan

Melbourne is a blessed city. We have trams and trains connecting most of our major streets and suburbs, there are huge gardens on the outskirts of our CBD that provide beautiful walking routes into work, and we have one of the highest rates of cyclists of any Australian city. So why are so many of us still driving into the CBD? It's got a little to do with convenience and a lot to do with laziness, but Melbourne City Council is about to put a stop to it.

With a draft walking plan to be considered by this week, the council have outlined a detailed initiative to make the CBD more accessible to walkers. In the proposed plan, many of the city's main strips would become shared zones with 10km/hr speed limits or closed to traffic completely. "We want to make all of Melbourne a lot more pedestrian friendly," Councillor Cathy Oke told the ABC.

The proposed changes would include sectioning off Elizabeth Street in a similar manner to Swanston Street — making it only available to pedestrians and trams. Street closures would also take place on sections of Little Bourke, Little Collins and Flinders Lane making them exclusive "walking streets" and undoubtedly easing the crowds on their larger namesakes. The proposed "shared zones" would include Market Street between Collins Street and Flinders Lane, the area of Spring Street  adjacent to Parliament Station and the Princes Theatre, and Queen Street near the Queen Victoria Market.

According to the council, walking accounts for 66 percent of trips made around the CBD and they'd like to see that number increase to 69 — an oddly specific and suspicious target, if you ask us. Nonetheless, it's a noble plan. People will feel more compelled to walk, the congestion in the CBD will be eased, and retail spaces will presumably see a boost from increased foot traffic. It's going to be a huge pain in the neck for business types with an aversion to public transport, but a big win for the rest of us.

At the very least, we'll be beating Sydney's new pedestrian policies ten-fold — and really, isn't beating Sydney what it's all about?

Via ABC. Photo credit: jungmoon via photopin cc and mugley via photopin cc.