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Extending clearway and parking restriction times

The government is responsible for maintaining an efficient, smooth, reliable and safe transport network on Adelaide's roads to meet the state's transport, economic and social needs.

Where some arterial roads also serve as access points to local business and residences the application of traffic management tools used to improve traffic flows needs to be balanced with the need to offer access for local communities and businesses.

Traffic volumes on metropolitan Adelaide arterial roads have increased by approximately 20% since 1997. Extending the operating hours of parking restrictions (clearways and bicycle lanes) is an effective traffic management measure to improve traffic flows on highly congested arterial roads.

An early initiative was a pilot to extend the operating hours of parking restrictions (clearways and bicycle lanes) on Greenhill Road between Anzac Highway and Glynburn Road.  The purpose of this pilot was to offer a gradual and staged approach to tackling Adelaide’s peak period congestion problem and improve road safety.

Evaluation of Bluetooth data over a 12 month period showed a 1 minute travel time improvement on Greenhill Road between Devereux Road and Anzac Highway heading west and 40 seconds improvement for east bound. Comparing the traffic volume in 2017 versus 2016 showed a further 4% increase in traffic volume during the extended clearway period. The travel time improvements will benefit an average of 14 000 vehicles per day during the additional clearway times of 9.00 am – 10.00 am, 3.00 pm – 4.00 pm and 6.00 pm – 7.00 pm.

Following the success achieved with the changes made to Greenhill Road, extension of clearway and parking restriction operating times will be implemented at a number of locations to ensure the most effective use of limited arterial road space.

Locations where changes have already been implemented include

  • Sir Donald Bradman Drive (Airport Road to South Road)
    • Part time bicycle lanes east and west bound: 7am – 10am and 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday.
  • South Road (Anzac Highway to Ayliffes Road)
    • Part time bicycle lanes and clearway lanes north and south bound: 7am – 7pm Monday to Friday
  • Northcote Terrace (Stephen Terrace to Robe Terrace)
    • Clearway city bound: 7am – 10am Monday to Friday
    • Clearway outbound: 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday
  • Nottage Terrace (North East Road to Main North Road)
    • Removing the existing clearway in the westbound lanes, replacing with new no standing zones
    • Existing parking on the east bound lanes and indented parking on east and west bound lanes will remain unchanged.
  • Payneham Road (Glynburn Road to North Terrace) and North Terrace (Fullarton Road to Hackney Road)
    • Clearway and bicycle lanes city bound: 7am – 10am Monday to Friday
    • Clearway and bicycle lanes outbound: 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday
  • Flinders Street (The Parade to Dequetteville Terrace)
    • Clearway city bound: 7am – 10am Monday to Friday
    • Clearway outbound: 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday
  • Marion Road, (Henley Beach Road to Sturt Road)
    • Part time bicycle lanes and clearway lanes north and south bound: 7am – 10am and 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday
  • Goodwood Road, (Greenhill Road to Daws Road)
    • Part time bus lanes (between Springbank Road and Dudley Avenue): 7am – 10am Monday to Friday for northbound and 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday for southbound.
    • Part time clearway (between Dudley Avenue and Greenhill Road: 7am – 10am Monday to Friday for northbound and 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday for southbound.
  • Port Road, (Grand Junction Road to Gaol Road)
    • Part time bicycle lanes and clearway lanes north and south bound: 7am – 10am and 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday
  • Glen Osmond Road
    • Greenhill Road to Portrush Road (7am – 10am city bound and 3pm – 7pm out bound - Monday to Friday).
  • Fullarton Road
    • Britannia roundabout to Greenhill Road - 24 hour Clearway (at all times), Glen Osmond Road to Carrick Hill Road - 7am – 10am city bound and 3pm – 7pm out bound - Monday to Friday).
  • Main North Road
    • Fitzroy Terrace to Nottage Terrace (7am -10am inbound and 3pm – 7pm outbound – Monday to Friday)
  • Portrush Road, Lower Portrush Road, Ascot Avenue and Taunton Road
    • Clearways north and south bound, where there were no existing bicycle lanes: 7am – 10am and 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday.
    • Part Time Bicycle Lanes north and south bound: 7am – 10am and 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday.
    • Any existing full time bicycle lanes remain in place.
  • Hampstead Road, between North East Road and Grand Junction Road
    • Clearways north and south bound where no existing bicycle lanes operated: 7:00 am – 10:00 am and 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday.
    • Part Time Bicycle Lanes north bound: 7am – 10am and 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday.
    • Part Time Bicycle Lanes south bound: 7am – 10am and 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday.
  • North East Road, between Nottage Terrace and Golden Grove Road
    • City bound: 7am – 10am Monday to Friday.
    • Out bound: 3pm – 7pm Monday to Friday.
    • Any existing full time bicycle lanes will remain in place.

Why these changes are implemented

The new hours of operation improve traffic flow and reduce hold-ups on the busiest roads during the busiest periods of the day. This is where most congestion occurs and affects the largest number of people.

The new hours of operation for clearways and bicycle lanes ensure the most effective use of limited arterial road space and supports the objectives of Keeping Metro Traffic Moving as the growth targets in the 30 year plan for Greater Adelaide and contributes to a more vibrant city.

All Keeping Metro Traffic Moving initiatives are about moving people and goods safely and efficiently, to meet the community’s transport, economic and social needs.

Statistics and benefits

The primary benefit of implementing this strategy on an arterial road are gaining extra lane capacity. This extra lane capacity is critical for peak period traffic operation. The benefit are significant when compared to the loss of kerb-side parking.

Clearways also provide for smoother and safer traffic flow, which result in the following benefits:

  • Improved bus and freight traffic flow, as the need to weave around parked vehicles is eliminated. The need for freight to travel in the median lane (due to parked vehicles) is also reduced.
  • A more even distribution of vehicles over the traffic lanes and less lane changing, which can lead to consistent speeds along a route. From the “National Greenhouse Strategy”, Part 5.6 Traffic Management, states, “…an aim of reducing emissions from motor vehicles by achieving travel at more consistent speeds, especially for high volume routes”.
  • From the findings of the Federal Office of Road Safety, the accident reductions that can be expected are: 20% for rear end accidents, 50% for hit parked/parking vehicles, and 30% for vehicle hits pedestrian type accidents (by the absence of parked vehicles which hide pedestrians).
  • Route capacity and average travel speeds are improved due to SCATS linking and intersection ‘green bands’ can be adjusted for faster progression of more compact platoons of vehicles.
  • Improved access to the arterial road system from local roads, as sight distances are improved and the traffic platoons are shorter, thereby allowing easier access. Improvements to the arterial road system encourage motorists to travel along those roads, instead of bypassing areas of congestion by utilising the local road network.
  • Improved cycling environment, as cyclists need not weave around parked vehicles