Roads and Traffic
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Our Road Network
Council is the road controlling authority for local roads within the City of Canterbury (around 325 km of roads). Other roads within the city are under the control of the RTA (e.g. King Georges Road, Bexley Road, Georges River Road, M5 motorway, Canterbury Road, Punchbowl Road).
The City's road network is already established. Added capacity can only be accommodated through incremental improvements to the existing network or significant road works to create new routes.
New residential development at higher densities and large-scale commercial or industrial development results in more vehicles using the existing network. This has the potential to reduce its ability to operate safely and efficiently as well as increase adverse effects such as noise, vehicle emissions, congestion and accidents. The end result is higher demands on the existing road network attributed to increased levels of development.
These demands can be addressed to a certain extent by various traffic control and management measures (such as the installation of signs, roundabouts, etc.). Other control measures to minimise the adverse effects on residential amenity can be considered (such as the installation of speed humps, slow points, pavement treatment, raised thresholds, etc.).
Higher residential density can increase the resident population, along with placing more demands on the road network from more motor vehicles. It is, therefore, reasonable to require new residential development to contribute towards a proportion of the costs incurred by Council to make improvements on the road network to ensure its continued safe and efficient operation.
Council is responsible for providing the community with a safe and cost-effective road, footpath and cycleway network. This is achieved through:
- management of Council's roads, footpaths, cycleways, bridges, car parks and stormwater drains
- erection and maintenance of street signs
- management and maintenance of Council's fleet of vehicles
- traffic planning and control
- road safety education programs
- co-ordination of the Canterbury Traffic Committee
- co-ordination of the Road Safety Strategic Plan
In 2005 we established a program to accelerate works on roads, footpaths, drains and towncentres. $45 million will be spend on our Infrastructure Renewal Program over 15 years.
