The existing layout of angled carparks is inefficient and is also less safe for pedestrians. The proposed layout retains the same number of parking spaces but provides space for new linemarked pedestrian links, allowing visitors to safely walk through or from the carpark to their shopping destinations.

There are numerous driveways (carpark entries and exits) along Louisa Street, which creates an inefficient parking layout and a high number of vehicle crossings over the footpath. By rationalising the entries and exits to the carpark we can create a safer, more continuous footpath environment along Louisa Street, thereby addressing community concern about pedestrian safety.

The re-surfacing work is being done as part of Council’s asset renewal program, and so additional funds are not available for significant upgrades or customised artwork as part of this project. The colourful and vibrant artwork along the pop-up footpaths will remain.

Works are expected to occur in mid-2024, subject to contractor availability.
The resurfacing works and linemarking are anticipated to take several days, and will be staged across the site so that some carparks remain available at all times. The contractor will liaise with nearby traders to notify them of the upcoming work program and signs will be placed on site to keep visitors informed about the works.

The permanent footpath upgrade can not be delivered before the road drainage infrastructure is improved. Louisa Street is located in a flood-prone area that will require more investigation. There is also a likelihood that carpark sites on both sides of Louisa St would be developed which will mean a newly constructed footpath could be damaged by the new construction. Council is currently investigating these two key issues before progressing with the permanent upgrade.

The colourful footpaths are created to improve the visibility of pedestrians to cars. Despite being located in an activity centre, Louisa Street has a poor environment for pedestrians and has been raised as an area of concern by the community. Considering the current environment of being in the middle of large carparks, a simple road line marking will not be adequate to achieve a safe, welcoming environment as hand-painted patterns.

The design is made to be safe. Planter boxes provide separate barriers from the road to ensure pedestrians are safe. The vehicular lanes and driveways are tested with vehicle swept-path analysis. The new speedhump signs and flexible bollards with reflective tapes provide a safe road for both vehicles and pedestrians.

Louisa Street is funded by the Council’s approved budget of 2.1 million over 5 years. The budget for the art component of Stage 1 Louisa St Pop-up Footpaths is 1% of the project budget which is quite small. Most of the cost of Stage 1 is being used for the safety elements of the project including speedhumps, bollards and traffic management.

The pop-up is delivered in the most cost-effective way, by collaborating with local community groups such as Schoolhouse Studios and Coburg Commons. When working with the artists, we are ensuring that artists are paid fairly using industry rates. We are also re-using the leftover planter boxes from the Covid-19 outdoor dining program to cut the cost of materials.