Elizabeth Street and Southbank Boulevard are Getting a Green Makeover

Melbourne is doing everything it can to retain its label as world's most liveable city, with a pair of green spaces set to spring forth in the CBD. As outlined in the City of Melbourne's 2017-18 draft budget, both Elizabeth Street and Southbank Boulevard are facing significant redevelopment, in what Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has called "a once-in-a-generation project."

The draft budget allocates $11 million to a three-year $35 million project that will see an entire lane of Southbank Boulevard, along with adjoining Dodd Street, transformed into an open space featuring greenery, public art spaces, 'green' tram tracks and 1.2 kilometres of bike lanes.

"The new public space planned for the front of the ABC alone would be roughly the same size as the City Square," said Doyle. "Dodds Street will be remade into a public space that can cater for everything from street performances to farmers markets and medium scale music festivals at the doorstep of the Victorian College of the Arts."

"Dodds Street will be redesigned into a public space that can cater for everything from street performances to medium scale music festivals at the doorstep of the Victorian College of the Arts," he added.

Meanwhile, $1.5 million will be used to revitalise the southern end of Elizabeth Street between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane. The southbound traffic lane will be closed in order to make way for new paving, lighting, street trees and drainage works that will in turn improve pedestrian access to Flinders Street Station.

"Elizabeth Street is one of Melbourne's most significant civic spines but it's fallen behind and it needs an upgrade," said Doyle. "It's crucial that we make this area more pedestrian-friendly to cater for Melbourne's booming population."

Updated: July 13, 2017.