Project Overview
Hurst Street Wombat Crossing | Hurst Street, Tasmania
This project involved the design and construction of a wombat crossing (a raised zebra crossing) on Hurst Street, connecting a childcare centre on the northern side of the road with a primary school and bus stop on the southern side.
The crossing was initiated following concerns raised by the childcare centre, whose staff regularly escort young children (including those as young as four) across the road to access the school and bus stop. Hurst Street is relatively wide, carries moderate traffic volumes including heavy vehicles, and did not provide a safe or comfortable crossing environment for young pedestrians.
The project aimed to improve pedestrian safety, accessibility, and confidence for both children and carers using the crossing.
Project Process and Highlights
The project began with direct engagement with the childcare centre to understand the specific challenges faced during daily crossings, allowing the issues to be clearly defined from a user perspective. Further consultation was undertaken with surrounding stakeholders, including the adjacent school, a nearby medical centre, and a gymnastics facility.
Feedback consistently highlighted concerns around vehicle speeds, road width, and limited safe crossing opportunities. This early engagement helped build a shared understanding of the issue and supported a clear pathway from problem identification through to design and funding.
Based on this, a raised wombat crossing was selected as the preferred treatment to both formalise the crossing location and provide traffic calming benefits.
The design process considered vehicle speeds, heavy vehicle movements, and accessibility requirements to ensure the treatment was safe, effective, and suitable for all users.
The project was then costed and progressed through to a successful funding application under the Vulnerable Road User Program (VRUP), enabling delivery. Construction was completed ahead of the 2026 school year, ensuring the crossing was in place from day one of term.
Outcomes and Benefits
The completed wombat crossing has significantly improved safety and usability for pedestrians, particularly young children and their carers.
By slowing vehicle speeds and providing a clear, priority crossing point, the treatment has made it easier for the childcare centre to safely escort children between sites. It has also improved access for the broader community, including families, patients visiting nearby services, and other pedestrians.
A key takeaway from this project was the value of early and direct engagement with users. Understanding how the space was being used in practice was critical in selecting an appropriate and effective solution. It also highlights the role of local government in identifying and delivering targeted interventions that respond directly to community needs.
By Leenah Ali-Lavroff, Principal Traffic Engineer, WGA