Victoria st is more of a main road and is fairly well lit and has shops running along it and a decent amount of traffic. Theres also a pub about 200 meters down just before Percy st called Victoria Hotel (which may or may not have been open at 1 45 am) However if she took that route, she would have arrived a Percy St where she would have turned right, and t is much like Hope St, ie. completely dead at night, no traffic at all, poorly lit and no shops. just a few panel beaters and small factory type set ups and some empty blocks. And also Percy is actually past Lux Way, so once she reached the end of Percy shed have to walk back 100 metres or so in the direction she came.
That might have made no sense but check Google street view and you will see
I believe Jill went the way she did because its the way she always walked home and it was habit. A part of me believes that AB knew this was her way home. After all he seemingly has his car at the ready just down Hope st. How, I dont know... but as someone said a few posts earlier perhaps he overheard her say something to her co-worker who offered to walk her home that she lived off Hope st..