Minutes (Open Portion)

City Infrastructure Committee Meeting

Page 2

25/9/2019

Minutes (Open Portion)

City Infrastructure Committee Meeting

Page 15

25/09/2019

LORD MAYOR REYNOLDS

The minutes of the Open Portion of the City Infrastructure Committee meeting held on Wednesday, 21 August 2019 and the Special City Infrastructure Committee meeting held on Monday, 9 September 2019, be confirmed as an accurate record. 

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

6.1      Liverpool Street, Hobart - Embankment Remediation

HARVEY

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Acting Senior Roads Asset Engineer, the Manager Roads and Environmental Engineering and the Director City Amenity of 19 September 2019, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That:   1.    Remediation works of the flood damaged section of 367-377 Liverpool Street, Hobart retaining the existing Liverpool Street road geometry, addressing drainage issues and rehabilitating the road pavement, at an estimated cost of $370,000, be approved.

2.    Funding of $92,000 be allocated from the City’s Roads Strategy and Projects Budget Function in the 2019-20 Annual Plan to augment the funds to be provided by the Federal Government Natural Disaster Relief arrangement.

6.2      Water Bottle Refill Programs - A Review of the Choose Tap Program

HARVEY

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Manager Cleansing and Solid Waste and the Director City Amenity of 19 September 2019, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That:   1.    The Council adopt the ‘Tap’ App program to encourage the refilling of water bottles, as a means to reduce the level of use of plastic water bottles and subsequent risk of single-use water bottles entering becoming litter.

(i)      The initiative be promoted to the City’s relevant retailers and City residents and visitors.

(ii)     The location of the City’s water drinking fountains be loaded into the App.

2.    The cost of the program, at an estimated cost of $1,100 per annum (noting $0 cost of the App, an estimated cost of $300 for the printing of promotional stickers with the balance being anticipate staff costs to support the program), be funded within the City’s Cleansing and Solid Waste Budget Function in the 2019-20 Annual Plan.

6.3      Hobart Bicycle Advisory Committee - Meeting Notes and Proposed Change of Name and Terms of Reference

DENISON

That the recommendation contained in the report of the Executive Manager City Place Making and  Director City Planning of 20 September 2019, be adopted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

That    1.    That the draft minutes of the Hobart Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting of 27 August 2019 (marked as Attachment A to item 6.3 of the Open City Infrastructure Committee agenda of 25 September 2019) be received and noted.

            2.    The current ‘Hobart Bicycle Advisory Committee’ be renamed as the ‘Hobart Active Travel Committee’.

            3.    The draft Terms of Reference (marked as Attachment B to item 6.3 of the Open City Infrastructure Committee agenda of 25 September 2019) for the Hobart Active Travel Committee be approved.

            4.    The Hobart Active Travel Committee report to the 'relevant Council Committee', to allow for matters to be considered by other Council Committees as appropriate, with the minutes of Hobart Active Travel Committee meetings continuing to be provided to the City Infrastructure Committee as a matter of course.

            5.    A representative from the Heart Foundation be invited to join the Committee.

            6.    A public Expression of Interest process be undertaken to seek one community member to represent the interests of people who walk on the Committee.

7.1      Underground Rivulet Commuter Network

DENISON

That in accordance with Council’s policy, the following Notice of Motion which was adopted by the City Infrastructure Committee at its meeting of 25 September 2019, be considered by the Council.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

COMMITTEE RESOLUTION:

Motion:

“(i)     That a report be prepared to consider the merits or otherwise of utilising Hobart’s underground rivulet as a pedestrian and / or bicycle commuter route;

          and;

 (ii)    In its assessment of the concept, the Council considers the potential of working with institutions such as schools, colleges and universities to develop research projects for students to address the challenges and develop technical, innovation, social and economic models and solutions.”

Rationale:

“The demand for Hobart’s roads and footpaths is increasing as more people live, work, learn and socialise in the inner city. Pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles are increasingly competing for finite space. Given the constraints on the ground level to physically increase the area available for travelling, the consideration of novel approaches to creating alternative commuter connections that are convenient and inviting is warranted. This motion suggests the idea of studying the potential for utilisation of the convenient routes offered by Hobart’s underground rivulet.

The underground route of the Hobart Rivulet could offer enormous opportunities for connecting key locations within the city. An example of four possible entrance locations, marked as A, B, C and D, are shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Possible Rivulet Access Locations

There are other locations where the rivulet may be accessed, but these four examples provide an illustration of the range of potential locations of entrances, and how popular city destinations may be connected.

Location A

The rivulet is exposed for segments between the start of the Linear Park track, Molle St and across Barrack St, becoming enclosed near Liverpool St in the block between Barrack and Harrington St. As shown in Figure 2, the exposed rivulet runs adjacent to a variety of buildings in the city.

Figure 2: The open rivulet between Liverpool, Harrington, Collins and Barrack Streets

Location B

The rivulet runs underneath the Cat and Fiddle Arcade with parts of the lower floor of the building built into the rivulet void. Figure 3 shows a view from inside the underground rivulet of an area apparently used for storage at the rear of a shop within the arcade.

Figure 3: The Rivulet below the Cat and Fiddle Arcade

Location C

A now enclosed bridge (Wellington Bridge) is visible from the rivulet under the Elizabeth St Mall as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5: The Rivulet below Elizabeth St Mall

Location D

A segment of the rivulet is exposed alongside the Royal Hobart Hospital, running adjacent to Collins St between Argyle and Campbell Streets.

Assessment

Evaluating and designing the route will be informed by a range of disciplines. While the concept poses technical (eg ventilation, travelling surface, flood monitoring and escape routes) and financial challenges, it will also require a range of focussed assessments such as legal (land ownership, access and zoning) and economic (creating new business opportunities and revenue opportunities for Council, but potentially reducing existing street pedestrian traffic). There is scope for new design and innovation to enhance user amenity such as heating, lighting, air quality and user experience. Gathering this information presents a range of opportunities for students and institutions to develop connections with Council and learn about the operation of the city, while developing practical skills.

The Hobart Rivulet has not always been treated carefully by the city and its residents. This project presents the opportunity for the people of Hobart to understand the critical ongoing role of the rivulet, and appreciate its existence as a serene connection through the busiest parts of our city.”

The General Manager reports:

“In line with the Council’s policy in relation to Notices of Motion, I advise that the matter is considered to be within the jurisdiction of the Hobart City Council as it relates to the Hobart Rivulet.”Do not delete this line

8.1      Committee Actions - Status Report

BRISCOE

That the information be received and noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

That the information be received and noted.

MOTION CARRIED

VOTING RECORD

10.1    Lord Mayor Reynolds - Pedestrian Death at Traffic Lights

Question:    Due to the recent pedestrian death on the pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Collins and Argyle Streets, and the recent accident involving another pedestrian and a vehicle, could the Director please advise:

(a)  If the Council will be advised of the outcomes from the Coroner’s report into the death of the pedestrian;

(b)  Will the Coroner make recommendations for the Council to follow and potentially develop a process to reduce the risk to pedestrians from being injured or killed on pedestrian crossings; and

(c)   Is there anything that can be implemented now that could reduce the risk of this type of accident from re-occurring.

Answer:       The Director City Amenity took the question on notice for the Director City Planning.

10.2    Lord Mayor Reynolds - Pedestrian Fencing

Question:    Is the pedestrian fencing on Bathurst Street (in the block between Murray and Elizabeth) still a recommended and widely used traffic treatment for this kind of city street?

Has a risk assessment been done recently about if it puts people parking their cars next to the barrier at risk by having to walk along the road next to traffic in order to access the footpath?

Could there be more contemporary and safer treatment to encourage people to cross Bathurst Street at the lights?

Answer:       The Director City Amenity took the question on notice for the Director City Planning.

10.3    Alderman Briscoe - McKellar Street, South Hobart - Shared Use of Walkway

Question:    Could the Director please advise if there are plans currently being considered by the City in relation to sealing, installing markings and declaring the pathway as ‘shared use’ for bicycles on the pathway diverting from the Rivulet into McKellar Street, South Hobart as it is prohibited for bike riders to continue on the Rivulet pathway beyond this point?

Answer:       The Director City Amenity took the question on notice.

10.4    Alderman Briscoe - Remembrance Bridge

Question:    Could the Director please advise if the City will be investigating and/or has any plans to modify and widen the Remembrance Bridge Queens Domain access point to accommodate both bicycles and pedestrians simultaneously?

Answer:       The Director City Amenity took the question on notice for the Director City Planning.