Council to install pedestrian crossing for new North Melbourne Primary School campus 

A new zebra pedestrian crossing is set to be installed to serve the new North Melbourne Primary School campus before classes start in the new year.

The City of Melbourne confirmed it was working on design options for a new crossing which would connect the school to Molesworth St’s southern footpath.

The measure comes after the school community requested a new crossing be created to help parents, children, and residents to move safely across Abbotsford St at the intersection with Molesworth St, Canning St, and Abbotsford St.

“We hope to install this new zebra crossing before the school campus opens in late January 2023,” the council said in a letter to residents, dated November 24.

The council stated it would notify residents once the design was finalised but added the new crossing would require a loss of about five to eight parking spaces.

North Melbourne Primary School principal Sarah Nightingale said the school community was appreciative of the council making the pedestrian crossing a priority before the opening of the new campus.

“We expect that pedestrian traffic between the two campuses will naturally increase therefore welcome the new zebra crossings at the corner of Molesworth St as a measure to keep our school community safe,” she said.

“We believe this new crossing will also assist with managing traffic concerns around the campuses which I understand has been a community concern since the announcement of the second campus.”

Meanwhile, works to install a new raised zebra crossing at the intersection of Errol, O’Shanassy and Harcourt streets is expected to be completed by Christmas following community concerns of pedestrian safety.  

The new school is located 350 metres from North Melbourne Primary School and consist of six entrances.

It will feature a landscaped playground, an outdoor stage, tiered seating and flexi-space for events and performances as well as a competition-grade gym for basketball and netball.

A new kindergarten for three- and four-year-old children will on level five of the campus, including two rooms, and outdoor learning and play spaces. 

The site is bordered by Molesworth St, Hardwicke St, and a proposed tree-lined laneway along the southern boundary. •