This article was updated on 28 August.
Tram works are continuing along Swanston Street in the north of the CBD, closing the bike route until mid-September.
While the works near La Trobe Street will wrap up in the coming days, activities will switch to the junction at Victoria Street where two other projects will be in full swing in the coming weeks.
A new left-turn facility for trams will be installed at the Victoria Street intersection, along with renewed tram tracks, poles, powerlines and realigned traffic lanes on Swanston, Victoria and Elizabeth streets.
Riders will benefit from the delivery a new separated bike lane in Swanston Street on the approach to Victoria Street, and from the removal of the tricky-to-cross tram tracks that extend into the triangle of Swanston Street outside the bouldering wall.
The triangle of land where tram tracks are currently located is being converted into a public open space project by the City of Melbourne. (See image of the final intersection below.)
More logistics parking zones will be added to the precinct along Victoria to Elizabeth, while casual parking spots in Victoria Street will be removed.
The projects are being undertaken by Yarra Trams working with the Department of Transport and Planning and the City of Melbourne.
Twenty-four-hour works will be underway from 10pm, Friday 30 August to 5am, Monday 16 September, when the sites will be closed and fenced off and traffic detoured:
- Swanston Street will be closed from A’Beckett Street to north of Victoria Street.
- Victoria Street will be closed from Elizabeth Street to Cardigan Street.
- The intersection of Therry, Bouverie and Victoria streets will be closed.
- The intersection of Elizabeth and Victoria streets will be open.
Riders on the busy north-south Swanston Street route from Melbourne University to the city will need to detour from further north or south to alternative routes such as Peel Street, Elizabeth Street, and Exhibition Street/Rathdowne Streets using the east-west Queensberry Street link.
Note that La Trobe Street is expected to be reopened by next week, thus provide east west access to the south of the worksites.
Because Victoria Street will be closed to motor traffic, drivers will face extensive detours, and will likely be watching their GPS more intently than the road, so care will be needed.
Footpaths will remain open, with temporary detours may be in place at some times.
Traffic management and signage will direct traffic.
There will changes to trams services in Swanston Street during the major works period.
Note that there will be a second stage of major works occurring at the Victoria and Elizabeth Street intersection later this year.
Notification will be given closer to the event.
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