Riders using the Footscray Road Trail will by now have encountered the new signal arrangements for trucks leaving the Port of Melbourne at Dock Link Road.
A new exit lane for traffic turning left in to Footscray Road out of the port is now open, making the intersection more complex.
This lane is traffic light-controlled as part of the signals system for the intersection of Footscray Road and Dock Link Road at the port gateway.
For some time, riders heading into and out from the city have been able to cross the exit lane safely, as it has been closed off to trucks.
But now it is open to truck traffic, and the traffic signals are operational.
This is definitely the time to get out of the habit of crossing this lane without paying attention to the lights and the trucks.
Note that the call up buttons at the Port exit left-turn lane crossing are active and at some points of the signal phase, pressing them can get you a green sooner than otherwise.
There will be high volumes of trucks exiting the port at this location, and if they have the green light, they will assume that people on bikes will be stopping at the red that are facing on the trail.
There are multiple phases at the lights to enable trucks to turn in and out of the port from multiple directions
You will still need to pay heed to trucks turning into the port during their green cycle.
Riders will be using this intersection daily until the Veloway opens later in the year, so caution is essential.
There is still more work underway around this intersection, and you will notice fences and barriers starting to be removed.
Further to the west, you will also notice changes to the trail alignment on the approach to Mackenzie Road, as work progresses towards finalising the road connections in this precinct.
For information on the ongoing night closures of the trail, refer here.
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