Traffic Signals Pedestrian Facilities Upgrades | Townwide

• Project typePedestrian Improvement
• Project scheduleOngoing - Initiation and Feasibility Stage

There are 16 signalised intersections within the Town of Cambridge. The responsibility of modifications and improvements to these signalised intersections falls to the Town. Main Roads Western Australia (MRWA) are responsible for the approval of any such requests to modify these assets.  

The costs and management associated with the design and construction of traffic signals are borne by the Town. Given the level of traffic modelling required, along with the two-year MRWA approval timeframes, upgrades are often cost prohibitive for the Town.

The Town and MRWA are working together to install the ‘Little Green Man’ lanterns and to include pedestrian phasing to the following three signals:

1. Salvado Road – Jersey Street (LM211): Commissioned - 1975
2. Cambridge Street – Selby Street (LM270): Commissioned - 1977
3. The Boulevard – Selby Street (LM346): Commissioned - 1980

This type of pedestrian crossing still exists commonly throughout Metropolitan Perth. MRWA no longer support new crossing facilities without the ‘little green man’. These intersections will be gradually upgraded with the availability of funding.

MRWA has offered to provide modelling services to assist the Town in upgrading these as an ongoing programme.

Salvado Road and Jersey Street

In early 2022, the Town completed data collection for the Jersey Street and Salvado Road signals for MRWA to consider the upgrade of this pedestrian crossing facility. MRWA have modelled the addition of a “little green man” to provide some protection for pedestrians from turning vehicles. 

Upon activation of the little green man, pedestrians will be given a “head start” to cross. This is achieved by holding vehicle movements for five seconds. When activated, the “green man” will illuminate, after five seconds vehicles will be released.

MRWA acknowledges this option does not align with their guidelines which can often require a full upgrade to the signals infrastructure. However, they recognise this treatment does give greater pedestrian protection than what currently exists. When compared to the default MRWA upgrade treatment, this option is inexpensive and provides improved pedestrian protection.

Selby Street - The Boulevard & Cambridge Street 

In 2023, the Town commissioned a review of the both the Selby St-Cambridge St signals and Selby St-The Boulevard. The aim of this review was to identify both the feasibility and the costs to upgrade crossing facilities at these locations. This review has identified two options which would facilitate pedestrian protection at these locations.

Option 1: Signal arrangement upgrade to include right turn arrows from Selby Street to Cambridge Street eastbound and banning the right turn from Cambridge Street to Selby Street northbound. This involves minor modifications to the raised median to allow trucks to turn at the same time.

Option 2: At The Boulevard and Selby Street intersection, this will involve the approach utilises the existing phasing arrangement and introduces a new pedestrian “head start” phase by activating the ‘little green man’ lantern and holding vehicles for five seconds to allow extra time for pedestrian to cross prior to changing to a green light. At this signalized intersection the lantern will indicate to pedestrians when they should, or should not, walk across the street.

Both options will require to conform with MRWA guidelines and technical policies. 

Current Status

Currently MRWA is working with the Town by collecting necessary technical information and conducting traffic modelling for the intersections to acquire for a formal approval. MRWA is aiming to obtain and report back to the Town with the formal approval by early May 2024. 

NEXT STEPS

A report is expected to be presented to Council for consideration by the end of 2024. 

Please refer back to the webpage for future updates.

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