Louisa Street is located in an area susceptible to inundation during storms and heavy rain. A permanent footpath cannot be delivered until a significant overhaul of the underground drainage system has occurred, to reduce the risk of flooding. Preliminary investigations are underway that will help determine the extent and the cost of drainage works required. In addition, the long-term future of the car parking areas is currently unknown. These car parks may need to be reconfigured as Central Coburg grows and changes. Council is currently investigating these two key issues before progressing with any permanent upgrades to Louisa Street.

The pop-up footpath is a tactical urbanism initiative, which helps us to test the design before anything permanent is delivered. It is designed so that water can easily flow around the planter boxes, so it will not exacerbate the flood risk while it is in place.

Community consultation for any permanent changes will take place once the proposed design and delivery timing is known.

The colourful footpaths and planter boxes are an important safety feature: they are designed to improve the visibility of pedestrians to cars, as well as to and add some vibrancy and local character to the area. Considering its location between two large carparks, simple road line marking would not have been adequate to achieve a safe, welcoming environment for pedestrians. The patterns were designed by a group of local artists from nearby Schoolhouse Studios.

The pop-up footpath has been designed to be safe for both vehicles moving past or around it and pedestrians moving along it. Our traffic engineers have tested the design to ensure vehicles have plenty of room to move. The planter boxes provide barriers from the road to ensure pedestrians are safely separated from vehicle traffic.

Speedhumps will be installed in early September to slow down traffic, helping Louisa St to become an even more pedestrian-friendly environment, ensuring drivers adhere to the existing 40km/h zone. The planter boxes will be completed with flexible bollards and reflective tape to ensure that the temporary installation is visible at night.

The pop-up has been delivered in a very cost-effective way. We are re-using planter boxes from the COVID-19 Outdoor Dining Program that are no longer required, to cut the cost of materials. Supply of plants and materials has been sourced at a low cost from the local community garden Coburg Commons.

We collaborated with artists through Schoolhouse Studios to provide an attractive, and original design for the planter boxes and footpaths. When working with artists, we ensure that artists are paid fairly using industry rates, while keeping the overall cost low.

At this stage, lighting is not part of the temporary installation of pop-up footpaths. However, we understand that better lighting is an important part of improving safety in the area and will be considered as part of the any future upgrades to the car park or the street.