Perth Voice Interactive

THE un-one-waying of Perth CBD streets continues with works now pending to restore two-way traffic flow to a length of Hay Street. 

Many inner-city streets were converted from two-way to one-way many misty years ago but it’s led to some awkward layouts and traffic snaking around looking for a way in or out.

In the past decade or so a rolling effort to undo the confusing grid has progressed across the city, with Hay Street from William to Elders Streets the last remaining one-wayer.

The conversion could cost anywhere from $4 million for the bare basics to $20 million if the City adds new street trees and pavers, granite kerbing, and street lighting and other bonuses to make it a pedestrian-friendly avenue.

At the December 3 council briefing, lord mayor Basil Zempilas said “in a previous life as a talkback radio broadcaster, we would often look at the city’s changing road designs and say… they seemed to have only changed that not so long ago. Why are they changing it again?

“It is a reasonable question; why are we changing Hay Street,” answering his former self’s query that it was about “connection” and “permeability”.

“As I understand it… this is all about unlocking connectivity,” he said, noting as one example that the current one-way setup made for a runaround trying to come from Subiaco to the city.

Councillors will vote on the final concept plan at the December 10 meeting.

by DAVID BELL