About the Yarra Glen Precinct
The Yarra Glen Precinct begins at the junction with Adelaide Avenue, just west of Kent Street, and extends through to the Yarra Glen roundabout, north of the Woden town centre. The precinct connects to Adelaide Avenue, the major transport route between Woden and the City.
The planning for this precinct considers the ACT Government’s Woden District Strategy, which outlines opportunities for future growth and development including North Curtin. Light rail would provide improved public transport to support population growth in this area, provide more opportunities for new businesses and services and minimise traffic congestion on Adelaide Avenue.
The local suburbs of Curtin and Hughes, as well as surrounding areas, would be serviced by a proposed light rail stop at Carruthers Street.
The precinct enjoys views towards the Brindabellas, Black Mountain, and Mount Taylor.
Historically, the Yarra Glen Precinct was made up of estates and paddocks, including the Yarra Glen estate, which was located near today’s Carruthers Street overbridge. To the east are the Deakin playing fields surrounding the Royal Australian Mint.
Yarralumla Creek follows the road from north of Curtin to Woden and sits within native and exotic tree plantings. The creek flows through the centre of the Yarra Glen roundabout, which guides traffic movements between Yarra Glen, Melrose Drive and Yamba Drive.
Some key considerations for the design of light rail in the Yarra Glen Precinct include how the project would:
- Navigate level changes between Yarra Glen and the Carruthers Street bridge to make the light rail platform easily accessible.
- Promote walking and cycling linkages between the proposed stop on Carruthers Street and the suburbs of Curtin and Hughes, and improve landscape features of the precinct.
- Interact with the Yarra Glen roundabout at Melrose Drive and Yamba Drive and improve traffic arrangements in the area.
To respond to these considerations, the concept design and Environmental Impact Statement will explore the following design features and implications:
Placemaking
A Carruthers Street stop that would make the immediate area more pedestrian friendly and enable increased activity at the Curtin group centre.
Connecting people to places
Overall improvements to enhance traffic arrangements, including reconfiguration of Yarra Glen roundabout at Melrose Drive and Yamba Drive to enable light rail to pass through and account for future population growth.
Lifts and stairs at the Caruthers Street stop to provide access into the surrounding areas, considering accessibility, safety and lighting.
Natural systems
New tree plantings will occur along Yarra Glen to reinforce the existing landscape character, and native tree and understorey planting to improve flora and fauna habitats.
Integration of water sensitive urban design elements to manage stormwater and increase biodiversity benefits from the project.
