You may have noticed some of our City’s intersections have transformed over the last few weeks.

As a part of the Australian Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) program, we have been busy improving the safety and access for pedestrians and greening the community by replacing asphalt surfaces with landscaped areas at the following intersections:

• Cecil and Napier Streets, South Melbourne
• Nimmo Street and Beaconsfield Parade, Middle Park
• McGregor and Patterson Streets, Middle Park

This is much more than a few upgraded intersections. The design delivers improved pedestrian access and sustainability in these locations and beyond with no negative impact on road use. These new projects provide:

• passive watering and drought proofing of garden areas
• cleaning and recharging water into local soils to improve the health of the Port Phillip Bay
• improved streetscape amenity through new garden beds areas with no loss of parking spaces.

The transformation of these three intersections is part of the LRCI program. More than $3.4 million was awarded across eight projects under this program to help us deliver improved community infrastructure and to support local jobs.

As part of this program, we have also completed our improvements to Point Ormond Reserve including the pathway to the Beacon Hill Lookout. Key improvements at the Reserve include new trees and garden bed, new paths between the playground and the existing Point Ormond lookout path and Bay Trail, improvements to access around Point Ormond Lookout and new barbecue areas including a new picnic shelter. And there’s even more to come, with a new playground to replace the existing equipment. Our concept plan for a new playground responds to this special location, catering to all ages and abilities and will meet the current Australian Standards. Work will be completed on the playground in mid to late March.

Look out for more LRCI projects due for completion in the coming weeks and months: Projects and works - City of Port Phillip