Hold On To Your NABERS Ratings... Melbourne Is About To Get A Whole Lot Greener

The Victorian government has announced a $ 1.2 million injection into its new Urban Forest Fund to create more 'green' across the city by partnering with philanthropists, property developers, community groups and other Government organisations on greening projects.

The news comes at the same time as City of Melbourne announced work will begin work next month on a $2.2 million upgrade to the southern end of Elizabeth Street, set to benefit the 9300 people using the road each day during peak hour.

The Lord Mayor will launch the Urban Forest Fund on the top of the new Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, the home of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, which features one the largest rooftop gardens in Australia at 1400-square-metres.

The City of Melbourne has also created what it believes is a world-first online tool which maps all the rooftops in the municipality to see if they have the potential to be turned into solar, cool or green roofs.

The research reveals that rooftops in the municipality have the potential to house 236 hectares of intensive (heavy) green roofs and 328 hectares of extensive (lightweight) green roofs.
Elizabeth Street Upgrade
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the Elizabeth Street upgrade would improve functionality to the area which sees nearly 10,000 pedestrians pound the pavement during peak hour each morning.

“We’re improving Elizabeth Street to make it a more functional, safe and attractive gateway for the thousands of pedestrians who use it every day,” the Lord Mayor said.

“The City of Melbourne proposes to exclude southbound traffic between Flinders Lane and Flinders Street by October this year, allowing us to more than double the amount of pedestrian space and improve access to key public transport interchanges at Flinders Street Station and the Elizabeth Street tram terminus.

“The upgrade will include new street furniture, better lighting, new bluestone paving, drainage improvements and trees.”

The final concept plan for Elizabeth Street South involves five key components:

• Southbound traffic lane removed

• New pedestrian area

• Tram stop stays

• Western footpath upgraded

• Northbound traffic lane stays.

• Elizabeth Street is predominantly used by pedestrians with 9300 pedestrians using footpaths on both sides of this section of Elizabeth Street during the AM peak.

• Very few vehicles that enter at La Trobe Street travel the full length southbound to reach the southern end of Elizabeth Street.

• Between 2004 and 2015 there was a 65 per cent decline in the number of motor vehicles using Elizabeth Street.

• Traffic surveys show that 73 motor vehicles per hour use the southbound lane on Elizabeth Street in the morning peak hour. At the busiest time (the afternoon peak hour) surveys show 122 vehicles per hour travelling southbound on this section of Elizabeth Street: equivalent to around two vehicles per minute.