Quay / QUAY2 traffic measures update
Council implemented a number of temporary road closures between the Quay and QUAY2 developments on 13 July 2020. This webpage provides a background to that decision, relevant traffic information, the planned approach to progressively re-open the local roads and will include updates as new information becomes available.
Update 19 October, 2020: Further to correspondence circulated to residents in the Quay and QUAY2 area in Torquay North, Council is proceeding with intended changes to road closures within the area with removal of barriers within Centreside Drive expected to occur on Wednesday 21 October. Council will also provide some additional signage in the area and will continue to monitor traffic volumes and driver behaviour in the area.
Update 9 December, 2020: At Council’s 8 December Meeting Council met and resolved the following in response to a Notice of Motion and petitions submitted to the 24 November Council Meeting.
That Council:
1. Notes the recently measured traffic data varies significantly from the forecasts in the 2012 traffic study, with implications for Quay and Quay 2 estates as well as the broader Torquay North road network.
2. Undertakes a new traffic study and modelling for Torquay North which will:
2.1 Inform if any of the interim measures removed in item 5 should be reinstated until the opening of the signalised intersection at Coombes Road and Rosser Boulevard;
2.2 Assist in identifying interim or longer-term traffic mitigation works to support effective operation of the network; and
2.3 Inform traffic planning for the wider Torquay North area, in particular where land development is still to occur.
3. Allocates $30,000 from the Accumulated Unallocated Cash Reserve to undertake the Traffic Study and modelling outlined in item 2.
4. Notes that traffic volumes are increasing as COVID-19 restrictions are lifting and will be further impacted in Torquay North in 2021 due to some key traffic generators in the area, notably the schools, new stadium and Council offices.
5. Support the re-opening of Inshore Drive, Marine Drive and Glengarry Drive in December 2020.
6. Inform the residents on Inshore Drive, Marine Drive and Glengarry Drive of the road openings as soon as practical.
7. Continues to monitor traffic within the Quay / Quay 2 area and identify mitigation works that might need to be considered as part of Council’s Budget 2021-22.
8. Determine to not permanently cul-de-sac Marine Drive based on their being insufficient data identifying the need for this action.
The full petitions and Notice of Motion can be found on Council’s 24 November Council Meeting Minutes and the full report from Council officers in response to the petitions and Notice of Motion can be found on 8 December 2020 Meeting Agenda link Minutes & Agendas.
Minutes from the 8 December 2020 Council Meeting will be available once finalised.
Why did Council implement the road closures?
The changes were introduced by Council to support the release of land in the QUAY2 estate prior to the completion of key infrastructure connecting the estate to the Surf Coast Highway. The closures were designed to avoid unplanned and undesirable traffic impacts on local roads to the east and south of the QUAY2 development.
Rosser Boulevard and Merrijig Drive, as collector roads, are considered the most suitable roads to support access into the QUAY2 estate while construction traffic volumes are high and while Rosser Boulevard/ Surf Coast Highway intersection planning and construction works are underway.
The developer of QUAY2 will construct traffic signals to connect Rosser Boulevard with the Surf Coast Highway and Coombes Road. This intersection is planned to take more than half of all traffic moving in, out and through QUAY2. The intersection is expected to be ready in mid-2021.
What information did Council consider?
Council considered three main sources of information:
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The 2012 study that informed the planning of the development and road network;
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Feedback and requests from multiple stakeholders; and
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Data about QUAY2 development rates, particularly housing construction.
The 2012 study indicated that when fully developed, about 11,600 vehicles per day (vpd) will move in, out and through the development, of which 6,800 vpd (almost 60%) would come and go via Rosser Boulevard at the new intersection with the highway.
Council was also approached over time by multiple stakeholders with varying views, including:
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People who were buying into QUAY2 in 2020 and who were distressed by any potential delays to the release of titles
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The QUAY2 developer who was seeking to promptly progress their development
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Local members of parliament, on behalf of the QUAY2 developers and purchasers, seeking Council’s prompt release of QUAY2 titles
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Community members, mainly from the Quay development, making submission to the 2020-21 budget process and expressing concern about local roads being impacted by the QUAY2 development
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Petitioners and residents who had contacted Council over the previous 18-24 months raising concerns about the QUAY2 traffic impacts on local roads
Analysis of Council’s spatial data as at 6 April 2020 identified the following with respect to this development:
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452 residential lots had been created through previous stages
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357 building permits for dwellings had been issued (ie. 79% of lots created had permits)
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254 properties had occupancy certificates, (ie. 56% of lots created were occupied or ready for occupancy)
The QUAY2 developer advised that most properties achieve occupancy in about eight months from building permit and approvals. Based on Council development data and advice from the developer, it was assumed that the balance of building permits may reach occupancy by the end of 2020, representing 64% or approximately two-thirds of the total planned development. Without the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions, it was estimated that significant volumes of traffic would move in, out or through QUAY2 by the end of 2020 without the benefit of the Rosser Boulevard connection to the highway.
What are the traffic volumes in the area?
Council committed to review the closures once traffic adjusted to the new conditions. Traffic counters have measured traffic volumes and types in August/September along Merrijig Drive and the streets connecting to QUAY2. This provides a greater understanding about the traffic currently coming and going from the QUAY2 development, what volume are moving along Merrijig Drive and provides a basis for ongoing monitoring.
A summary of the recent traffic volumes is included in the following table along with data collected in October 2019 and June 2020 Data from similar locations is included for reference. Not all locations were measured at the same time and so some volumes are estimated to assist with general understanding of what is happening across the network.
Roads that provide access in/out of QUAY2
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October 2019 (or before)
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1/06/2020 (before Closures put in place)
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Aug/Sep 2020 (Once Closures in Place)
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Oct/Nov 2020 (Once Centreside Dr Closure Removed)
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May/June 2021 (all roads open)
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Rosser Boulevard
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810
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1,283
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1,650
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2,178
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2,352
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Marine Drive
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490
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743
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(road closed - 246**)
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(road closed)
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382
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Scott Avenue
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100*
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302
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599
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954
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1058
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McLean Street
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120*
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240*
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220
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253
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247
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Hunter Avenue
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125*
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378
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720
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707
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795
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Centreside Drive (when opened)
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653
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784
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(road closed - 543**)
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(road reopened) 658
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1324
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Total estimated volumes of traffic moving in, out or through QUAY2 on connecting streets
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2,298
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3,730
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3,189
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4,748
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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*This is an estimated volume based on assumed traffic generation per lot developed (taken from comparison of aerial imagery).
** October prior to removal of Centreside Drive barriers. Not included in Totals
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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Merrijig Drive
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October 2019 (or before)
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Jun-20
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Sep-20
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Nov-2020
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June 2021
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Merrijig Drive (west end)
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9,572
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Not Available
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7,554
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10,739
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10,024
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Merrijig Drive (west of Fischer Street)
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6,541
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Not Available
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6,640
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8,256
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7,194
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A number of factors will influence the above data, including:
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Impacts of COVID-19 restrictions. It appears that restrictions are resulting in traffic reductions in the order of 30-35% which is consistent with advice from Regional Roads Victoria. This particularly effects Merrijig Drive as a key collector rout which will have lower volumes due to remote-working, home-schooling and closure of community facilities.
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Varying stages of development of QUAY2 will have resulted in increasing volumes of construction, building and residential traffic over the periods.
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Different configurations of roads being open and closed will result in different travel paths.
The latest counts are the only ones that measure traffic where QUAY2 is the origin or destination of a trip. Other counts will include some traffic that is just passing through the estate. Therefore the volumes in the table provides is helpful in providing an understanding of volumes, but is not a basis for definitive comparisons.
How is the local road network performing?
The recent traffic counts show that about 3,189 vpd are on the access roads entering and leaving QUAY2. Volumes on Merrijig Drive are significantly lower in September 2020 than usual, even with the QUAY2 traffic, which is likely to be the result of a combination of COVID-19 restrictions and slower development. Regional Roads Victoria have indicated that a reduction in traffic volume of 30%-40% is not unexpected at this time.
Merrijig Drive, particular west of Rosser Boulevard, and Rosser Boulevard seem to be managing the traffic increases well as these are both collector roads which are designed to take higher traffic volumes. The most heavily impacted streets are the three smaller streets being Scott and Hunter Avenues and presumably McLean Street. These have all had significant increases in traffic volumes.
When will Council re-open the roads?
Having considered the traffic data and feedback from residents and emergency services, Council proposes the following approach to refining, and in time removing, the road closures.
Step 1: Removal of road closure on Centreside Drive - implemented 21 October 2020
It is proposed that this barrier be removed on Wednesday 21 October 2020. Re-opening Centreside Drive will allow re-distribution of traffic from the north-east part of QUAY2 across Hunter, Scott and Centreside but is unlikely to be an attractive route for much of the QUAY2 estate that can be serviced by more direct routes through Rosser Boulevard and Merrijig Drive.
Step 2: Removal of road closure on Inshore Drive, Glengarry Drive and Marine Drive – updated 9 December 2020
It is proposed that Inshore Drive, Glengarry Drive and Marine Drive will be opened Friday 18 December 2020, as resolved at Council Meeting 8 December 2020.