King William Road Upgrade – substantial completion 2 December 2019
This morning, Council had the great pleasure of announcing that the King William Road Upgrade will be substantially completed ahead of schedule, on Monday 2 December 2019.
We are thrilled to confirm that from 6am this coming Monday, King William Road will be free from construction workers and orange bollards! On-street parking will be available and approved outdoor dining can commence in the new flexible spaces - all in time for the busy Christmas trading period.
At the time we announced the awarding of the contract and commencement of construction in May this year, we made a commitment that we would halt works from the 2nd of December to ensure no disruptions during the busy Christmas trading period and return in January 2020 to complete the works by the end of February 2020. Strong collaboration between Council, BMD and all stakeholders, as well as the development and delivery of an accelerated program, has enabled us to consistently achieve key milestones and complete the Upgrade early.
The Upgrade has delivered on the community’s Design King William vision for a more beautiful, accessible and active King William Road. More than 80 new trees have been planted to create a cooler environment and more than 70 on-street spaces have been designed with flexibility for on-street parking, outdoor dining and other activations which enable King William Road to adapt into the future. The upgrade features key safety improvements including two more pedestrian crossings whilst preserving the precinct’s distinctive village character and heritage.
We thank you for your interest and support through the Upgrade and ongoing support for the King William Road traders. Mayor Michael Hewitson AM, and the City of Unley, invite you to continue to visit King William Road as we welcome a new era for one of Adelaide's premier retail and dining destinations.
What will be happening this week
Over this week, you will see a lot of work taking place to ensure King William Road is ready for the 2nd of December. While it may seem that most of the work has been completed, the BMD team will be working tirelessly to get the street ready. This will include the installation of the movable bollards, continued planting, some minor rectification works (which are part of all projects of this scale) and the installation of smart parking sensors.
As we have committed to throughout the Upgrade, access will be maintained to businesses during opening hours and along King William Road during these works.
What will happen in early January 2020
While the Upgrade will be substantially completed on 2 December 2019, there are some minor works that will need to be undertaken early in the new year, mainly the installation of furniture including:
Jam Factory designed seating
Bins
Bicycle racks
Smart benches
Planter boxes
And smart parking signage
These works will all be localised, cause limited disruption and be done at a time deemed to have minimum impact. Works will take place between 6 – 14 January 2020.
Parking and Outdoor Dining
Parking
On-street parking will be available and accessible along King William Road from Monday 2 December. There are more than 70 flexible spaces available, the majority of which will be used for on-street car parking. These spaces are designed with flexibility in mind and some traders have applied to utilise a flexible space for outdoor dining, bringing added vibrancy to the street.
Each space has a smart sensor which will correspond with smart parking signage and other technology. Parking throughout the precinct will remain free, with 3 hour area-wide parking along King William Road to encourage turn over while allowing people to stop and experience the precinct. There are a small number of short-term (15 and 30 minute) parks at the southern end near the Park / Mitchell Street intersection.
Outdoor Dining
One of the Community’s aspirations for King William Road was to create a more active mainstreet that was appealing both day and night. A key feature in achieving this is the increased opportunity for outdoor dining. It is exciting to see the number of traders that have embraced this opportunity to extend their business presence and we cannot wait to see all the permitted spaces activated.
Outdoor dining spaces with approved permits, can be utilised from Monday 2 December.
Staying in touch
Together with BMD, we are working closely with all stakeholders to keep the community up to date on the upgrade.
For more information regarding the King William Road Upgrade, please visit: www.designkingwilliam.com
