Stage 1 - Eastern Avenue Boulevard

Eastern Avenue before development (right) and architect's drawing of finished boulevard (left)

Start Date: 14 April 2007
Completion Date: early January 2008*
*The exceptionally bad weather in June and the extent of underground service cables and lines encountered under Eastern Avenue mean the completion date for Stage 1 has been delayed from 29 August 2007 to early January 2008.

The vision

The works

The impact

The vision

Eastern Avenue is being transformed into a wide pedestrian boulevard creating a place where people will want to stop, meet, sit and relax rather than be just a basic thoroughfare.

Architect, Jeppe Aagard Anderson took inspiration for the new design from the historic Las Ramblas boulevard in Barcelona (right). However, the Eastern Avenue boulevard will have a distinctly Australian appearance with a broad, granite walkway lined on both sides with native Angophora (Sydney Red Gum) trees.

The boulevard will unify the diverse buildings along Eastern Avenue creating a respectful, yet contemporary context for the heritage buildings. According to Jeppe, "the landscape will allow the drama and interplay between the building forms to be better appreciated".

It will be furnished with stone benches, for the first time providing users with seating along Eastern Avenue. Lighting will complement the design and ensure a safe well-lit route.

The final result will be a magnificent walkway sweeping from the main entrance gates through to University Place in front of the Quadrangle, re-establishing the visual connection from campus to Victoria Park and from City Road to University Place.

The works

Stage 1 Camperdown Public Domain works diagram showing work area and temporary footpaths

During Stage 1, the area from City Road, along Eastern Avenue to the forecourt of the Fisher Library, will be closed to vehicles and be excavated. Once excavation has been completed and the materials removed, work will begin to build the new Eastern Avenue boulevard. All bitumen, cement and timber from the trees will be taken for recycling.

Click here for a pdf of the work diagrams for all five stages.

The impact

For vehicles
During Stage 1, Eastern Avenue was closed to vehicles. Through traffic was re-directed via Fisher Road where parking has been removed, the speed limit reduced and speed humps installed to accommodate the increased volume of traffic and improve safety. Vehicle Access Map

Parking will still be available around University Place and at other locations on campus during Stage 1. Alternate parking is available in the Shepherd Street car park behind the School of Information Technologies building on Cleveland Street and is free for University Permit holders. Shepherd Street car park map.

A shuttle bus will run from the Shepherd Street parking station from 7am to 10.15am Monday to Friday (except for public holidays) until further notice. In the evenings the bus will run until 10.00pm (Mon-Thur), until 8.00pm Fri and 5.00pm Sat & Sun (in line with Fisher Library opening hours).

The bus will travel from the parking station to the Quadrangle and Fisher library on a continuous loop at about 10-12 minute intervals. You can catch the bus at Blackwattle Creek Lane at the Shepherd Street Gate (adjacent to the Aeronautical Engineering Building) with set downs at Madsen Bldg, Manning Road, Great Hall and Fisher Library.

Disabled parking is available in front of the Madsen building during Stage 1.

For pedestrians
Temporary walkways will be installed and will become the main pedestrian thoroughfare for the campus. The walkways have been designed with safety in mind and will be floodlit at night. If you need to walk along Fisher Road, please be aware of the additional traffic and use extra caution. Pedestrian Access Map

For deliveries
Loading zones are available for each of the buildings in the vicinity of the works. Map of building access points

For emergency vehicles
Local emergency services have been briefed on the changes to vehicle access on the Camperdown campus. Naturally, in case of an emergency, should Eastern Avenue be the quickest route, emergency vehicle access will be a priority.