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Reintroduction of Two Way Traffic
Why one-way streets are opening to two-way traffic
One-way streets have:
- encouraged extraneous through traffic;
- encouraged higher traffic speeds;
- defined unintended limits to urban development;
- separated arrival and departure bus stops because buses cannot return via the street on which they arrived;
- increased journey distances as drivers negotiate the one-way network;
- made the streets harder to navigate by people unfamiliar with the one-way system.
More one-way streets around the CBD are opening to two-way traffic as part of the City of Perth’s strategy to improve traffic flow and make the area more pedestrian-friendly.
In 2008, William Street between The Esplanade and Wellington Street changed to two-way, followed in 2010 by The Esplanade, Horseshoe Bridge and Barrack Street south of St Georges Terrace.
In 2013, Beaufort Street will open to two-way traffic and William Street between Newcastle and Roe Streets will change to two-way traffic shortly after.
Studies show two-way streets reduce journey times for drivers and are safer for pedestrians because they lower vehicle speeds.
The changes will also facilitate improvements in bus routes. With one-way streets, buses travelling north follow a different route to those travelling south. Two-way streets mean they can use the same road. This will also enable new bus routes and bus lanes to be introduced in line with the City Centre Public Transport Plan.
In the longer term, the City of Perth intends to turn most one-way streets in the CBD two-way with only a handful of narrow local streets remaining one-way. These changes will be phased in over the coming years after the state government and City of Perth complete a city transport plan that addresses the traffic impacts created by the state government's Watefront project.
The ultimate traffic flow plan can be viewed in the Traffic Movement Framework Plan. The phasing program can be viewed in the One-way to Two-way Phasing Plan.