Scroll down for the Minister’s response, or click here to discover more about how we’re working for Wendouree.

Original constituency question from Juliana Addison MP to Parliament –

My question is for the Minister for Roads in the other place and is about the Ballarat Safer Cycling Connections Sturt Street shared path in my electorate of Wendouree.

Sturt Street is Ballarat’s iconic boulevard and the spine of our beautiful city. The centre median is the place of our cenotaph, where we gather to remember those who served. It is also the home of important statues, including Eureka leader Peter Lalor and war heroes Pompey Elliott and Sir Albert Coates. It has well-established trees and garden beds that are valued by all residents.

Minister, can you please advise how the plan for the Ballarat Safer Cycling Connections Sturt Street shared path will improve road safety for bike riders and the broader community whilst protecting the heritage of Sturt Street and our important memorials, statues, trees and garden beds?

Answer from the Hon Jaala Pulford MP, Minister for Roads, Minister for Road Safety and the TAC, & Minister for Fishing and Boating (16th September 2019)  – 

Thank you for your question. As you are aware, at my request, a Public Reference Group was formed to review the connection for a cycle or shared path between Ballarat’s growing western suburbs into the Ballarat central business district. All possible east-west routes were considered including Webster Street, Mair Street, Sturt Street, Dana Street and Eyre Street. There was good representation, with three independent community members and a representative each from the Ballarat Heritage Advisory Group, Ballarat Cycling Group, Sturt Street Traders, Victoria Police, Ballarat Health Services, Transport Accident Commission, City of Ballarat and Regional Roads Victoria (RRV).

The outcomes of the Public Reference Group workshops determined that as other options were less direct and would impact on parking, established street trees or heritage features, Sturt Street was the most appropriate location for a shared pedestrian and cycling path that will provide a community supported safe cycling route, linking the Ballarat central business district to the increasing number of residents west of Ballarat.

Not only will the Sturt Street shared path improve safety for bike riders, both young and old but following RRV extensively consulting with the Sturt Street Traders’ Group in developing intersection solutions that address the poor crash history, as well as the north-south connectivity concerns raised by the Sturt Street Traders and others in the community, Sturt Street will be made safer for all road users and the broader community.

The combination of a shared pedestrian and cycling path, new and modified traffic signals plus the double U-turn treatments will provide safer, direct access into the central garden medians, plus the additional garden median connections, will allow both locals and tourists, pedestrians plus cyclists, to safely travel along Ballarat’s iconic Sturt Street boulevard from Grenville Street, all the way to Pleasant Street, further promoting Ballarat’s beautiful, scenic Sturt Street boulevard, full of historical, cultural and the many significant iconic statues.

The heritage of Sturt Street and Ballarat’s important cenotaph, memorials, statues, trees and garden beds will not be affected.