Neighbourhood street
A quiet residential street for people to spend time in an environment with a low speed and volume of movement.
Urban neighbourhood streets
Neighbourhood streets are common throughout 20th-century and modern subdivisions. Neighbourhood streets have a relatively low volume of movement, with two travel lanes and two car parking lanes. They have a large range of carriageway widths, but the typical street reserve is 20 metres. A common feature is car parking lanes on both sides. On-street parking is often optimised in high-demand areas, occasionally by using angled car parking.
Common issues
- wide carriageways that encourage high vehicle speeds and excess through traffic
- street trees that are heavily pruned for overhead services
- a lack of safe crossing at Intersections for people walking and cycling
- side-street intersections with large kerb radii, missing pram ramps and long crossing distances
- driveways with level changes to footpaths
- a lack of safe and direct crossings at roundabouts
- more than one traffic lane in one or both directions
- a lack of public transport infrastructure such as shelters and seating
- a lack of footpaths or narrow footpaths
- a lack of safe dedicated cycling infrastructure on streets signposted above 30km/h.
Design solutions - interim changes
[1] modal filters (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[2] narrowed lanes (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[3] slow points (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[4] trees in the verge (Landscape Design Guideline, TS 01595)
[5] lower speed limit (NSW Speed Zoning Standard, TS 03631)
The design solutions library includes a full list of appropriate design solutions for neighbourhood streets.
Design solutions - modal filter and street park
[1] modal filters (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[2] narrowed lanes (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[3] slow points (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[4] trees in the verge (Landscape Design Guideline, TS 01595)
[5] places to stop and rest (Beyond the Pavement, TS 01592)
[6] shared Paths (Cycleway Design Toolbox, TS 01590)
The design solutions library includes a full list of appropriate design solutions for neighbourhood streets.
Design solutions - central planted median
[1] lower speed limit (NSW Speed Zoning Standard, TS 03631)
[2] trees in the verge (Landscape Design Guideline, TS 01595)
[3] trees in the median (Landscape Design Guideline, TS 01595)
[4] narrowed lanes (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[5] kerb extensions or build outs (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management Part 8)
[6] painted threshold (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[7] reduced kerb radii (Design of Roads and Streets, TS 00066)
The design solutions library includes a full list of appropriate design solutions for neighbourhood streets.
Suburban neighbourhood streets
Suburban neighbourhood streets have a relatively low volume of movement, and car parking demand varies with lot widths, urban form, and density. Two travel lanes and two car parking lanes make up the typical street reserve of 18 metres. The street appears four lanes wide in low-demand areas without parked cars. Street fronts address residential lots and occasionally other uses.
Common issues
- overhead power lines affecting tree selection and maintenance
- wide travel and parking lanes that encourage unsafe higher speeds
- large kerb radii at intersections signalling higher speeds and vehicle priority
- side-street intersections with large kerb radii, missing pram ramps and long crossing distances
- a lack of footpaths or narrow footpaths
- a lack of safe priority crossings at intersections and mid-block
- more than one traffic lane in one or both directions
- a lack of public transport infrastructure such as shelters and seating
- a lack of safe dedicated cycling infrastructure on streets signposted above 30km/h.
Design solutions
[1] slow points (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[2] continuous footpath treatment (Continuous Footpath Treatments, TS 02667)
[3] trees in the verge (Landscape Design Guideline, TS 01595)
Alternatively, the traffic calming device mid-block can be replaced by a mid-block modal filter.
The design solutions library includes a full list of appropriate design solutions for neighbourhood streets.
Peri-urban neighbourhood streets
Peri-urban neighbourhood streets provide the address for most peri-urban households. These streets are typically very low volume. Footpaths and kerb and guttering are rare on peri-urban neighbourhood streets.
Common issues
- wide variations in surface quality
- speeds becoming unsafe as surface conditions deteriorate
- wide travel lanes that encourage unsafe high-speed driving
- nearby development increasing traffic and changing active and public transport requirements
- a lack of safe priority crossings at intersections and mid-block
- more than one traffic lane in one or both directions
- a lack of public transport infrastructure such as shelters and seating
- little or no shade and low canopy coverage
- a lack of safe dedicated cycling infrastructure on streets signposted above 30km/h.
Design solutions
[1] lower speed limit (NSW Speed Zoning Standard, TS 03631)
[2] shared Paths (Cycleway Design Toolbox, TS 01590)
[3] improved surface quality (Austroads Guide to Pavement Technology, Part 3)
[4] slow points (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[5] trees in the parking lane (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)
[6] trees in the verge (Landscape Design Guideline, TS 01595)
[7] flat-top road humps or raised pavements (Austroads Guide to Traffic Management, Part 8)