FAQs

The Low-Cost Urban Road Safety Program (URSP) is a four-year program funded and administered by Main Roads Western Australia (MRWA), and its aim is to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes on local roads through the implementation of low-cost road safety treatments on an area wide or whole -of-street basis.

MRWA are funding 100% of the design and construction costs of the proposed road safety treatments as part of the URSP. 

This site was nominated by MRWA in accordance with their Framework for the Low Cost Urban Road Safety Program and in consultation with the City of Canning. Through consultation with the community and stakeholders, the project will continue to be developed and the final design completed.

Regular spacing of road safety treatments is necessary to reduce speed fluctuations along the street and to maintain a safe speed profile. These treatments aim to reduce the operating speeds of traffic and the likelihood and severity of crashes. The proposed road safety treatments also discourage use of local roads by non-local and through traffic, improving amenity of the area.

If further funding is made available, future locations will be determined based on MRWA’s Framework for Low Cost Urban Road Safety Program, and other selection criteria for a comparative area which may not be eligible for funding through other road safety programs.

Construction is tentatively scheduled to commence July/August 2024.

Unless notified otherwise by the City of Canning, works are planned to be carried out within the normal working hours of 7am and 4pm on weekdays and Saturdays, as to reduce noise impacts. We understand this work may be disruptive to the local community and some traffic delays may be experienced, however we will make every effort to minimise disruption and thank you for your patience.

The City of Canning and MRWA will undertake evaluation of the streets where road safety treatments have been implemented to evaluate their effectiveness.

Furthermore, this evaluation will inform whether further funding will be made available to continue to deliver the Low-cost Urban Road Safety Program.

Raised safety platforms are often applied at ‘simple’ intersections with stop or give way controls on lower-order roads (e.g. in residential areas) that have the potential for right-angle crashes. They can also be applied mid-block on a street. 

The platforms reduce the speed of vehicles travelling through an intersection or along a street to keep speeds below serious collision thresholds (i.e. the point at which those involved in an accident would be killed or seriously injured should a collision occur).

For pedestrians and cyclists, raised safety platforms can improve safety and perceived ease of crossing. For vehicles with long-wheel bases, such as buses, raised safety platforms can be designed to minimise vehicle occupant discomfort while moving over the platforms while still reducing operating speeds through an intersection.  

Raised safety platforms are just one of the treatments being constructed on local government-managed roads as part of the Low Cost Urban Road Safety Program, funded by the State Government. For further information on the program, visit Main Roads website.

Mini roundabouts are regarded as an effective, low cost means of reducing the likelihood of traffic crashes on local roads. They have approximately a 3m diameter, compared to the 6m diameter of typical roundabouts, eliminating the need for road widening and significantly reducing construction costs.

Mini roundabouts can be installed within existing kerb lines where a traditional roundabout may require extensive intersection reconstruction. This treatment requires the vehicle driver to moderate their speed on approach and through the intersection.

These treatments offer high-impact, low-cost solutions for existing urban local road intersections on lower-order, lower-speed roads. Mini roundabouts, in particular, can be installed as part of an area-wide program at low cost.

Mid-block speed humps are designed to reduce vehicle speeds and discourage non-local through traffic.

A road diet treatment involves reconfiguring existing road space to better service all road users. This is particularly suitable where the existing road space exceeds vehicle traffic demand, and there is a mix of road users, including cyclists.

When redistributing and optimising the road space, specific attention is given to reducing and eliminating crash conflicts and, thereby, improving safety. In addition, they modify driver behaviour, such as slowing down on the approach and departures of the devices. 

Road diet treatments include:

• road narrowing;
• kerbside parking;
• kerb extensions;
• shoulder lane or cycle lane; 
• medial islands;
• chicanes;
• slow points;
• blister islands.