"The Roundabout of Death": Melbourne's Haymarket Roundabout

[@tekkies-transport]

Hi all, This comment just contains a few notes and corrections: I hope you all enjoyed this video. This is the first video in a series covering some major railway/tramway junctions. The next video in this series will be in an interstate location, and probably won't be out for a while, as getting photos and footage there won't necessarily be easy to do (for obvious reasons). As always, if you have any suggestions, or any corrections that I missed, please feel free to leave them in the comments. During the diversions section (3:06 - 5:42), I completely forgot to mention that over on Swanston St, Route 6 can make a big diversion via Route 19 and Victoria Street. At 4:27, I mentioned that Route 57 trams from North Melbourne can divert via Route 59. I forgot to mention that Route 59 trams are also able to divert via route 57. At 4:25 I mentioned that diverted Route 58 trams won't be able to resume the normal route at Anzac Station in the future , and I have been asked why that is. Well that's because the new layout for the junction for the line into Domain Road only allows access to Domain Road from Park Street, so when Route 58 returns to Domain Road (and there's every indication that that's what is happening), it won't be possible for diverted trams to access Domain Road from St Kilda Road. If there are any more corrections/updates that come up, I will add them here. Have a good one, Tekkie

[@samueljonis434]

I thought that the Park Street entrance into St Kilda Road has TWO lines? One for St Kilda Road, and one for Domain Road.

[@tekkies-transport]

@@samueljonis434 the new junction layout doesn’t allow access into domain road from St Kilda Road. Taitset has a video on the Swanston Street/St Kilda road corridor which better explains this.

[@andrewhighriser9531]

@@tekkies-transport I am fairly certain track is in place to turn into Domain Road from St Kilda Road but not from Domain Road into St Kilda Road. I will double check in a day or so. A decision hasn't been made yet about returning trams to Domain Road and Park Street and while I think it would be a mistake, the building a platform stop in Domain Road and laying new track will have been a disgraceful waste of money. However, it would be useful as diversion if there is a problem at Toorak Road.

[@tekkies-transport]

@@andrewhighriser9531 I've seen the new junction at Anzac Station. It will only be possible to access Domain Road from Park Street. Plus the line on Toorak Road West was built in order to allow for trams to continue running whilst Domain Road was closed

[@andrewhighriser9531]

@@tekkies-transport My apologies. I was absolutely wrong.

[@peterbumper2769]

I have had to attend the hospital on the corner a lot over the last 12 months. As a driver, the roundabout is manageable if you just give in and have patience. From some of the clinic windows , you can get a great view of the traffic moving through

[@freerangeeggs6442]

I used to live at this rounabout, crossed it several times every single day, what a nightmare. Another issue about it that wasn't mentioned in the video is that the traffic light and pedestrian light timings are absolutely fucked. What usually happens while trying to cross is that the light is red for both pedestrians and cars, so noone is moving at all. Now everyone is just waiting akwardly for a whole minute and pedestrains are all playing a massive unconsentual game of chicken to see who's going to risk crossing. You could j-walk, but often halfway through crossing the light will go gren for cars again and you get honked to hell and back. Throughout the year I lived there, I ended up memorising the traffic light timings to know which green lights at what part of the roundabout meant it was safe for pedestrains to cross elsewhere because the timings were so inefficient.

[@elkape-l]

This is the roundabout that some driver had a freakout moment and just full on left their car, engine still running and everything and my dad had to stop his car, get the other car moved out of the way ( he just parked it on the nature strip somewhere) and had to run back to his car, where he was getting honked at by everyone and their mother (including a tram) and just continued driving. At the time (a good 20 odd years ago now) he lived near the intersection so he went through it all the time.

[@noelerbs388]

As an amusing aside. I was aboard an Elizabeth St-Royal Parade tram one Saturday morning back in about 1963. A bit of a drama when the front bogie correctly headed north while the rear bogie decided to head out Flemington Rd. Problem soon caused massive tram jam and was not solved quickly so I set off walking up Royal Parade.

[@tekkies-transport]

That must have been an absolute nightmare!

[@EVISEH]

Simple explanation: the points reset themselves after the front bogie had passed over them An though it might have seemed to be a mayor drama, the same thing is still very much a common occurrence today and not exactly a big deal!

[@samueljonis434]

I suspect that this roundabout will get an upgrade of sorts once the Metro station is opened. The Metro will drastically change travelling patterns for many commuter's. Will be interesting to see what they do.

[@tekkies-transport]

Hopefully they do give it an upgrade in order to simplify the layout at least. The addition of traffic lights definitely improved things, but I think more needs to be done in terms of simplifying the layout. I reckon they should probably realign the western side of the roundabout onto the current northbound lanes of Peel Street (I hope that makes sense), that way Peel Street comes into the center of the roundabout, as opposed to being offset to the west. I think the position of Peel Street here is what really added that extra level of complexity when the roundabout was being designed back in 1951, and is something that has probably puzzled people since it opened (it was worse back before they added the traffic lights). But I definitely think that something needs to be done about Peel Street, because the way it comes into the roundabout is really bad. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@shraka]

@@tekkies-transport Melbourne has a bad habit of complexifying things until they're hard to use, and seems to have a real anxiety about assertive design decisions that limit car access. Blocking off the top end of Peel street to car traffic entirely might be the best solution. That'll simplify things significantly. Either that or block off Elizabeth street.

[@calibre_au6183]

The big problem with northbound vehicles on Elizabeth Street is many want to veer left and go west up Flemington Road, whilst most vehicles heading north on Peel st tend to veer right and travel up Royal parade. It's a big bottle neck whilst they each wait their turn. I'm not sure if it's possible but somehow the road should be engineered so only northbound Peel st traffic is able to turn left onto Racecourse rd and only Elizabeth st northbound traffic is permitted onto Royal parade. This way there is no cross over. I also used to love going through this roundabout when it was free flowing without traffic lights on my motorcycle. It was a little hairy but fun, and I could get through in a fraction of the time taken today.

[@heathertruskinger6214]

Thanks. That was quite interesting 😊

[@tekkies-transport]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@shraka]

Definitely looks like Peel street (and Pelham street) need to be blocked off to car traffic to simplify the intersection.

[@peterhoz]

Should've left it without the traffic lights. Let natural selection sort out who can drive and who can't LOLOLOL

[@CommissionerManu]

It was the real driving test in Melbourne. Between that and hook turns, we always sorted the interstaters from the real ones haha

[@kailahmann1823]

just add cowcatchers to the tram :)

[@shraka]

Block off peel street and you could remove some of the lights.

[@odbayarganbold6367]

This is not a roundabout but why is this called a roundabout

[@lauriewhite8153]

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