The City of Stirling is responsible for over 1,000 km of roads within the Local Government Area, and implements road safety improvement projects with state and federal funding. Find out about road maintenance, closures and traffic management.
Road classification
Classification enables identification of the necessary road characteristics and associated traffic movements, so that appropriate design standards and adjacent urban development can be chosen.
In Western Australia there are 5 classifications of roads. This is termed a road hierarchy and is a graded list of road categories ranked in order of traffic function. It is used when describing roads by function in order to provide a consistent approach to road planning throughout the state.
Classifying roads in this way recognises that roads are not all the same. At the lower end of the scale are those roads that are designed to give priority to residential property access, while at the higher end are those roads that carry large volumes of traffic relatively unimpeded over long distances.
In 1980 the City of Stirling was one of the first local authorities to adopt a functional road hierarchy. This road hierarchy was developed jointly with the Ministry for Transport and Main Roads Western Australia.
The major benefits of road classification are:
• Providing orderly grouping of streets and roads in a framework which governs the planning and implementation of construction and maintenance projects
• Providing a sound basis for traffic route management, transport and land use
• Assisting in the adoption of appropriate standards of construction of traffic routes and road traffic management
• Facilitating reviews so that appropriate actions taken to ensure functional and operational standards are met.
The following categories of roads are shown on the City's Functional Road Classification Plan (PDF).
Primary distributors
The major network comprising freeways and controlled access roads are solely under the control of Main Roads WA . These roads carry over 35,000 vehicles per day.
District distributors
District distributor roads are separated into two further sub-categories. The District Distributor A class roads carry between 15,000 to 35,000 vehicles per day, and form part of the major network for vehicular distribution within the City. District Distributor B roads carry between 7,000 to 20,000 vehicles per day.
Local distributors
Roads carrying 3,000 to 7,000 vehicles per day are part of the minor distribution network.
Access roads
Roads carrying less than 3,000 vehicles per day are part of the local road network.
Traffic management
The hierarchy of distributor, residential and access roads allows the City of Stirling to cater for through traffic and local traffic. The network of distributor roads is intended to encourage through traffic to use these routes in preference to other residential roads.
The benefits of properly established traffic management systems are:
• Reduction in the risk of crashes, through appropriate design of roads and intersections. In some cases, increased junction capacity may be required, while in other cases restrictions may be introduced to better manage hazards and high conflict movements.
• Improvement of the urban environment by controlling and improving traffic flow on designated routes.
Local area traffic studies have been conducted, in consultation with residents, with the aim of reducing traffic hazards and thereby improving safety. The studies resulted in a program of traffic management measures funded in order of need. Such measures may include traffic movement restrictions, roundabouts and speed deterrent devices. However, these measures can only inhibit bad road-user behaviour, not prevent it. The City also has education programs aimed at road user behaviour. Refer to the Road safety page for more information.
With costs to the community for each fatal crash estimated at more than $2.1 million, hospitalisations due to crashes at over $480,000, and other crash injuries at nearly $31,000, low-cost traffic management measures that contribute to improved road safety can be extremely cost-effective as well as improve the quality of life for residents.
The City undertakes annual reviews of all our roads through crash data supplied by Main Roads Western Australia in order to assess locations and develop road safety improvement projects. The national and state programs assist by providing potential sources of funding for crash reduction projects. The City's ongoing aim is to reduce the incidence of crashes occurring on roads under its control.
The City is responsible for the care, control and management of roads within its jurisdiction and to that end, the Commissioner of Main Roads has authorised the City, in accordance with the provisions of the Road Traffic Code 2000 , to utilise traffic signs and devices.
If you have any questions regarding traffic management and road safety, please download the Traffic management procedures (PDF) or contact the Engineering Design Division through the Customer Contact Centre .
If you are planning to work or hold an event within the road reserve please refer to the:
Road funding
A major portion of road construction is funded from City of Stirling’s rates, with some roads funded by the subdivision of federal and state government grants. In some instances, funding alone may be enough.
Part of the funding for the control, maintenance and extension of the City's road system is by way of Urban Arterial Road
Funds and Road Preservation Grants.
Urban Arterial Road Funds
The City has a 5-year program in place to upgrade and extend various district distributors utilising Australian Government funds allocated under this classification.
Road Preservation Grants
As part of its corporate plan, the City has a road resurfacing and reconstruction program whereby all existing roads are progressively upgraded in order of priority as identified in the Roads Needs Study (which is utilised to formulate a pavement management system).
This means that the majority of roads are resurfaced prior to the end of their effective design life to prevent deterioration to the point where complete reconstruction is required. In some instances, roads built many years ago must be reconstructed to enable them to carry the additional vehicular volumes which did not exist at the time of construction.
Black Spot Programs
Black Spot Programs directly target improvements to the safety of roads with a high risk or proven history of crashes.
Funding for the programs is mainly focused on cost-effective treatment of hazardous road locations. Funding is available through the Nation Building Program, in which projects are funded entirely by the Federal Government, or the
State Black Spot Program, in which projects are two-thirds funded by the state government and one-third by local government
| National Building Program |
|
| 2010/11 |
Main Street/Cape Street |
Metropolitan region: Modify Traffic Control System (TCS) new right turn arrows (without filter) |
| 2010/11 |
Beach Road/Princess Road/ Girrawheen Avenue |
Metropolitan region: Modify TCS new right turn arrows (without filter) and Light Emitting Diodes (LED’s) |
| State Black Spot Program |
|
| 2010/11 |
John Street/Eighth Avenue |
Install medians and improve priority signs |
| 2010/11 |
Koorda Street/Ardross Crescent and Mardella Street |
Install medians and improve priority signs |
| 2010/11 |
Main Street/Amelia Street |
Modify TCS to LED lanterns and upgrade pedestrian facilities |
Road reserve
The City of Stirling has certain requirements for when people wish to do work in the road reserve. These include:
• Constructing crossovers
• Use of the verge during building development work
• Private connections to services
• Reinstatement of concrete footpaths.
The City of Stirling has decided to proceed with the construction of the North Beach Road lane modification, on the grounds of safety, based on funding by Main Roads WA.
In 2005, residents of Kyeema Chase and The Lanterns raised concerns regarding the limited sight-distance for vehicles entering and exiting Kyeema Chase due to vehicles travelling faster than the legal speed limit on Reid Highway.
This issue was created by the realignment of North Beach Road to join the Reid Highway extension from Erindale Road to Marmion Avenue. This falls within the Reid Highway reserve and is therefore under the control Main Roads WA, and funding for this project is therefore the responsibility of Main Roads WA.
The design was put together by the City on behalf of Main Roads WA, and various options were provided to residents and Main Roads WA over the last few years. The City presented an alternative design in October 2009, minimising the affect on adjoining residents and providing a greater buffer to properties than the original 2005 design.
The current design consists of:
- A pre-deflection lane within North Beach Road prior to the bend at Kyeema Chase, to maintain a low-speed environment on the approach, similar to the 2005 design. This lane is located slightly further north than in the original design, where the highway reserve is wider to allow for additional separation from existing properties and additional width for mass planting.
- Separation of the on-road cycle lane to ensure that cyclists are not in conflict with motor vehicles through the pre-deflection lane.
- Planting of the realigned central median, to enhance the carriageway and improve the aesthetics of the median.
- Mass planting of existing verges to screen existing residential properties.
- The installation of street lighting through the current unlit section, between Reid Highway and Kyeema Chase.
- A retaining wall to be constructed on the edge of the cycle path to retain the embankment.