Page 477 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 19 March 2014
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Research indicates that generated traffic often fills a significant portion of capacity added to congested urban roads. Generated traffic has three implications for transport planning. First, it reduces the congestion reduction benefits of road capacity expansion. Second, it increases many external costs, and third, it provides relatively small user benefits because it consists of vehicle travel that consumers are most willing to forgo when their costs increase. It is important to account for these factors in analysis.
That is an interesting quote. I think that raises interesting policy questions. This is not one where we just scoff and say, “Yes, that is just the Greens being anti-road.” Far from it; it is actually looking at the evidence and saying, “There are limits to how much benefit additional infrastructure can provide when it comes to private motor vehicle transport.” There are challenges there. Again, we are debating Northbourne Avenue in the context of light rail. We cannot just add more lanes to Northbourne Avenue. It has reached a physical limit. When you start to think about things like this, it raises interesting debates about what is the right infrastructure for the future of our city.
I might briefly say while I am talking about the Majura parkway that I think there is some important recreational infrastructure. Right at the moment there is a consultation period for the reinvigoration of the Majura Pines site. The Majura Pines site unfortunately was a negative consequence of the Majura parkway, in the sense that a swathe did have to be cleared. I think that was a great disappointment for a lot of runners, mountain bikers, walkers, equestrians and the like.
But through TAMS we now are working to revamp that site and ensure that it does return to being a great recreational facility. For anyone that may be interested in it, the consultation period is still open. I hope to see those works move forward fairly quickly so that people can begin to use that again.
On the issue of Constitution Avenue, just before Mr Coe leaves, I can assure him that the design plans are finalised and the work is about to commence. I will have some more details on that very shortly. Hopefully we will get to having those things that Mr Coe talked about. I expect to see him cycling down the edge of Constitution Avenue, stopping for a coffee on a Saturday morning. I look forward to that moment. I know that Mr Coe does get out on the bike occasionally and I look forward to the day when he can cycle down Constitution Avenue on a separated cycle path feeling safe, secure, and joining the many other cyclists that no doubt will be using the facility.
Dr Bourke outlined in some detail the works that are going to take place in Constitution Avenue, and I will not, for the sake of the Assembly, repeat those, but I think that the long-term vision for Constitution Avenue, to provide a vibrant mixed-use tree-lined avenue with enhanced public transport, cycling and pedestrian movement is a good outcome for this city.
I welcome the partnership with the federal government and the National Capital Authority in moving those works forward. I think it is an exciting redevelopment and upgrade of Constitution Avenue which will provide great infrastructure to support the
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