A LETTER in today’s Narooma News from reader Ken Burke calls for another pedestrian crossing on the Narooma Flat.
The good news is that Eurobodalla Shire Council infrastructure director Warren Sharpe said the proposed plans for the roundabout at McMillan Road and Bluewater Drive and Princes Highway include pedestrian refuges on each approach.
Mr Sharpe said these would be similar to the crossings at the roundabout on the southern end of the Moruya main street.
Council last year secured substantial grant funding from NSW Roads and Maritime Services for a new roundabout at the Princes Highway, McMillan Road and Bluewater Drive junction.
Council will match the funds and the work will begin in the second half of the financial year, and the project will form the centrepiece of council’s streetscaping improvements on the Narooma flat.
Mr Sharpe said as Ken has pointed out, refuges greatly simplify crossing of roads by allowing pedestrians to cross only one lane at a time.
“This is much narrower than crossing the full road and pedestrians only have to judge traffic coming from one direction at a time,” he said.
“We note too that there is also parking behind the businesses mentioned (doctor surgery and dentist), and at Bill Smythe oval.
“These provide another option to the on-street parking, or the parking within the tourism centre, which avoids the need to cross the highway altogether.
“The consultation on the remainder of the streetscape will also allow consideration of the need for another pedestrian refuge on the highway at the western end of the tourism car park.”
Consultation is expected early this year with exact dates yet to be set.