Mildura Rural City Councillors will this week consider a report on the outcome of the 30km/h trial speed limit in Mildura’s central business district.
The trial speed limit was among a raft of actions in the Mildura CBD Access and Mobility Strategy aimed at improving access and mobility within the precinct for all modes of transport, in line with the Victorian Government’s Movement and Place Policy.
The 12-month trial, which concluded in April this year, took in CBD streets bounded by Pine Avenue, Seventh Street (not included in trial), Tenth Street and Deakin Avenue (not include in trial).
It has been evaluated based on three overarching criteria:
- evidence-based road safety principles
- traffic and pedestrian data
- community sentiment.
Evidenced-based road safety principles indicate:
- when a pedestrian is hit at 50km/h they have a 1.5 in 10 chance of surviving
- When a pedestrian is hit at 40km/h they have a 5 in 10 chance of surviving
- When a pedestrian is hit at 30km/h they have a 9 in 10 chance of surviving.
Traffic data collected from 16 locations as part of the trial indicated a slight decrease in the average speeds detected.
Community sentiment is the third criteria on which the trial was evaluated, revealing 61% of respondents weren’t in favour of continuing the 30km/h trial speed limit, while 31% said they supported the trial.
Based on these three criteria, Councillors will decide whether the 30km/h speed limit is appropriate for the Mildura CBD at this Thursday’s Ordinary Council Meeting.