Shire-wide Footpath Plan Review

Submissions closed on 30 April 2023, 05:00 PM

Since the adoption of the Shire-wide Footpath Plan in 2018, Council has spent close to $4 million on the delivery of footpaths as part of our capital works.

New footpaths are one of the most requested assets from our residents, and therefore it's important we work with you, our community, to help us plan our future footpath program and establish our walking goals and actions.

Ultimately, the revised plan aims to clarify footpath priorities and provide better transparency around the design and location process, including more proactive communication to affected residents when Council plans to construct new footpaths on their streets. 

We seek to provide a connected footpath network that supports people walking as a preferred mode of travel, which will encourage walking as a form of transport. This brings far-reaching benefits of reduced vehicle use and traffic congestion, healthy lifestyles and a socially interactive and vibrant place for our community.

Discussions

The Shire-wide Footpath Plan supports the Council Plan priorities and the annual funding commitment to deliver improved walking and cycling infrastructure. It also outlines potential projects to be undertaken over the next 10 years to guide future spending.

The projects in the plan aim to improve walking routes for all abilities, fix gaps in the network, and address any risks or problems.

Council reviews these programs every three years to ensure we prioritise suitable projects and work with the community. It is a rolling plan, and new projects are added as projects in the programs are completed.

Footpath priority criteria

Footpath priorities are assessed on the following criteria:

  • The number of pedestrians using the area
  • The type of pedestrians (e.g. children, parents/carers, elderly)
  • The surrounding facilities such as schools, hospitals, aged care facilities and residential areas
  • Whether the location is included in the Walking & Cycling Strategy, network and mobility studies, or other planning strategies for land development
  • Type of road (e.g. arterial, sub-arterial, distributor or residential)
  • Whether the location connects to other footpaths and/or public transport.

If a footpath request is assessed as having a high, medium or low priority, it will then be listed in our 10-year capital works program for future funding consideration, noting that these projects are also prioritised against all other projects region-wide on an annual basis.

Please note: An amendment was made on 29/03/2023 to rectify drafting minor errors on maps initially uploaded for Gisborne, Woodend, Kyneton, Riddells Creek and Newham - updated maps for these areas have now been uploaded. 

 

The Shire-wide Footpath Plan identifies locations throughout the shire where new footpaths are needed, and where there are gaps in the existing footpath network. We are seeking your feedback on the proposed revisions to the plan, including the new criteria for how we:

  • prioritise footpath upgrades
  • determine the design/materials used for a path upgrades.

We are not seeking requests for new footpaths outside of the areas identified in the above maps. 

Submissions have now closed. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.

Contact details

Engineering Services
(03) 5422 0333
engineeringservices@mrsc.vic.gov.au
Back to top