Chinatown upgrade works

Improving local streets

We formally adopted the Chinatown public domain plan in 2010.

While we have been putting the plan into place to create a precinct that celebrates the unique character and heritage of Chinatown, recent significant changes in the southern part of the city centre presented a need to update the plan in 2015.

The plans for Chinatown were warmly received when placed on public exhibition in August and September 2015.

It is also the result of detailed studies of the precinct which looked at current street quality, the shortage of gathering spaces, the ways people currently travel to and through Chinatown and how people spend time in Chinatown.

Transforming Chinatown

Little Hay Street, Factory Street and Kimber Lane were upgraded in 2012.

The revitalisation of these streets has created a more generous and engaging pedestrian experience.

Shared zones and widened footpaths have encouraged people to visit the area, provided opportunities for gathering spaces and created a framework for new public art and decorative lighting.

The successful upgrade of Little Hay Street, Factory Street and Kimber Lane included:

• a new public space on Thomas Street between Ultimo Road and Thomas Lane
• widened footpaths, more street trees and shade to create a strong pedestrian environment

It also included integrated artwork along Thomas Street comprising street furniture, paving materials and paving patterns as well as various cultural elements paying homage to traditional Chinese gardens and Australian identity.

To support the new public space on Thomas Street between Ultimo Road and Thomas Lane, traffic changes included:

• 10 km/h shared zone
• a timed closure, where the space will be closed for certain periods of the day
• vehicular access will be via a left turn from Ultimo Road.

In addition:

• 2 travel lanes on Thomas Street between Hay Street and Ultimo Road, with the additional left turn lane into Ultimo Road being retained
• From Ultimo Road, no traffic permitted southbound into the proposed Thomas Street shared zone
• 1-way southbound traffic on Thomas Street between Thomas Lane and Quay Street
• Added 2 loading zones in the area, and removed 18 parking spaces on the western side of Thomas Street to allow for widened footpaths.

We’ve installed these new features in Thomas Street between Hay Street and Ultimo Road:

• decorative paving with concentric circles
• boulders that are part of an integrated artwork
• granite footpaths with trachyte kerbs
• a signalised intersection at Thomas Street and Ultimo Road
• smartpoles for traffic signals and lights.

We've also added these features in the shared zone between Ultimo Road and Thomas Lane:

• more smartpoles
• more granite pavers
• pits for new trees
• more decorative paving and boulders as part of the integrated artwork.