East: Anniversary Outer Circle Trail

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This popular trail in Boroondara provides a north-south link through the municipality. It connects to the Main Yarra Trail (Mel Ref 45 E2) in the north, and the Gardiners Creek Trail (69 B2) in the south.

Outer Circle gets more bike friendly

20 January 2010. The picturesque and peaceful Anniversary Outer Circle Rail Trail now has two new bike priority intersections to get riders across Argyle and Normanby Roads.

Boroondara City was keen to see the amenity of this trail improved and sought funding from the State Government to assist with the project.

The 'Zebra' pedestrian crossing in Normanby Road is 3m wide, on the same road level with modified pram ramps and with bluestone kerb outstand islands to slow and alert car drivers to the crossing.

Motorists' awareness will be facilitated by the zebra crossing signs and a recently installed 150WHPS light. Normanby Road is a bus route so a raised platform crossing was not appropriate.

The crossing in Argyle Road is also 3m wide, but on a raised pavement at the same level of footpath. The Council determined that the low road traffic volumes could be given second priority after Trail users by installing 'Give Way' signs favouring Trail users.

A median island, a splitter island and appropriate signage change all contribute to a cycle-friendly crossing.

No new bridge at Solway Street

Jun 07 The exisiting bridge has now been repaired and is open to path users.

We would like to express our disappointment at this outcome. The bridge is an important connection between the Gardiners Creek Trail and the Anniversary Trail yet the current bridge is very narrow and a hazard for all users.

The bridge was closed for 14 months and unfortunately Stonnington Council then decided to reuse the existing narrow bridge decking rather than build a new bridge.

Please show your support for a new bridge by emailing the City of Stonnington. We need to get as many path users as possible to email the council to ensure they're aware of the number of people that use the bridge.

Click on email me updates above to receive notification of important news and campaign activities.

May 07 Unfortunately the City of Stonnington has decided to not replace the damaged Solway St bridge (Melway 69 B1) with a new structure. Council has decided to secure the footings of the damaged bridge and reuse the existing bridge structure. 

This is very disappointing and concerning because the existing bridge is very narrow, well below engineering standards and is obviously a danger to users.

It is so narrow that bike riders travelling in opposite directions cannot pass each other with ease and it definitely does not provide enough space for the many dog walkers, walkers with prams and people making their way to East Malvern station.

We have expressed our frustration to council and will continue to try for a better bridge for this important link between the Gardiners Creek Trail and the Anniversary Trail.

 

Oct 06 Unfortunately the process of building a new bridge (Melway 69 B1) has taken longer than originally anticipated. It is expected that the new bridge will be available for use in mid February next year.

The interim alternate crossing of the creek, downstream of the Solway Street pedestrian bridge, accessed from Winton Road remains the closest crossing point. Due to this extended delay, a review of the alternate route is being undertaken, particularly the Winton Road section to improve safety for on road cyclists. The review may result in additional signage and linemarking on Winton Road to improve driver awareness of cyclists.

April 06

The Solway Street Pedestrian Bridge (Melway 69 B1) has been assessed as potentially unsafe following erosion of the northern-creek embankment during recent storms.


Both Boroondara and Stonnington Councils have been planning to replace this pedestrian bridge and have allocated funding for a new bridge to be built 10m upstream of the existing bridge. Unfortunately, the current bridge has deteriorated at a rapid rate. Work on the new bridge is expected to commence and finish in the second half of 2006.


An interim alternate crossing of the creek is available downstream of the Solway Street pedestrian bridge and can be accessed from Winton Road.
Boroondara and Stonnington Councils apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.

Whitehorse Rd crossing, Deepdene

2004 After many years of lobbying by the local community, pedestrian signals were installed at Whitehorse Rd in Deepdene (picutred right). This was a dangerous crossing point on the Anniversary-Outer Circle Trail.

Now students attending Deepdene Primary School and Camberwell Grammar School, which are on the trail, can safely use the trail to get to school.

Trail audit

In 2003 Bicycle Victoria and Boroondara BUG were involved in a trail audit of the Anniversary-Outer Circle Trail.

Our recommendations included:

  • Removing bollards from the centre of the path

  • Marking a broken centre line along the length of the trail to assist with navigation

  • Partially removing cicanes at road crossings on the southern section of the trail

  • Investigate installing a pedestrian/cycling bridge parallel to the rail bridge at Toorak Rd

  • Improve the trail alignment at Ashburton station

  • Investigate improving the road crossing at High St, Ashburton

  • Realigning connection through Hyde Park to the underpass on the Main Yarra Trail (Melway map 45 E2).

 

Solway Street Pedestrian Bridge Closure

 

Support the people who support your bike riding. Join Bicycle Victoria.

For Problems on the Path

Check out our Get it fixed web page for tips on how to take action.

This route runs through the following council area:

Boroondara City Council

Here is the Wikipedia page on this trail