Planners will turn the tables on cars in favour of cyclists, pedestrians and light rail along Kings and Commonwealth Avenue.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But the shady old trees could face the chop, according to new federal government tender documents.
The tender, published last week on the Austender website, outlined a plan to revamp the symbolic gateways to the parliamentary triangle, while still protecting and enhancing the strips heritage values.
Vegetation along the busy avenues received special mention in the tender, noting the canopy was ageing and that many of the tree species were inappropriate for the dry Canberra climate.
Irrigation to the many established trees was turned off in 2007 to save money, indicating European varieties, such a oaks, could be replaced.
The plan also calls for the rebalancing of traffic so the avenues become "equitable multi‐modal arterials".
The avenues were developed in two main stages over the past century, with the last iteration in the 1960's with the construction of Lake Burley Griffin.
The documents said, in the years since, the avenues had focused too heavily on cars and required a speed limit reduction to 60kmh.
The revamped avenues would seek to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians, with a dedicated bike lane to be introduced.
"[The avenues] are currently … traffic conduits, not boulevards. They are corridors to travel through by car, not places for pedestrians to enjoy," the tender documents said.
"A core outcome of the plan is the rebalancing of the currently dominant role of the roadway as a major arterial in the transport network, with more weight to be given to the role of the avenues as high quality, landscaped corridors and activated public spaces."
It also noted the avenues formed part of the planned network for light rail in the future.
The documents said labelled the major arterial roads as "degraded", and said the current "character and layout" contradicted their significant role in the national capital.
"The avenues' character is not consistent with their important symbolic role," the documents said.
"While the avenues were centrally important to the original plan for Canberra, there is limited planning and design direction to guide their character and management – and 100 years on the avenues should be memorable as well as functional.
"This is not currently the case."
The documents said the avenues required urgent renewal because of numerous spatial issues.
A list of the problems included; an inconsistent streetscape character and different eras of development resulting in disconnection between the north and south of Lake Burley Griffin, the original road geometry had eroded and dislocated from the important endpoints, deteriorating heritage elements, and low quality public realm design and finishes.
Urban design aspirations for the renewal of the avenues, included a unified expression of the national triangle, high quality urban streetscapes, historical appropriateness, effective multi‐user connections between precincts, and active civic spaces.
Documents said the plan must provide an enduring landscape and public space character that is consistent with the avenue's nationally symbolic and historic role.
It must also provide "direction for future capital works and asset improvement projects".
Documents said the tender winner would to present a draft layout at the National Capital Authority's April board meeting.
The NCA is expected to run public consultation during the design process.