LETTER: Don’t rush into post-bypass revitalisation

DEAR News Of The Area,

COUNCIL has recently called for public submissions associated with the proposal to “revitalise the High Street” (Grafton Street or Pacific Highway), due to a perceived loss of business associated with the opening of the bypass later this year.

The first stage of the work involves an estimated cost of $19.6million – a very substantial amount.

Included are landscaping, changes to turning lanes etc, and a 40 kmh speed limit between Albany Street and Coff Street.

These changes are expected to substantially erode the benefits resulting from the 12,000 vehicles per day expected to remain on the bypass.

Might we ask why money needs to be spent on so-called improvements to the CBD when that area is probably not so reliant on passing trade as, say, the South Coffs Service Centre?

Nothing is proposed to support those businesses.

It is usual when a bypass is opened that the works that have been sidelined on the old route are caught up.

There are many deficiencies on the existing route; most notably the squeeze point on the southbound carriageway on the bridge over Newports Creek.

The right-turn lane into Isles Drive needs to be extended, the through lanes need to be widened, and a trafficable shoulder provided to permit ambulances to access the Base Hospital without delay.

As for the proposed CBD so-called improvements, the traffic modelling only considered a future 10-year horizon, using traffic data taken from the Coffs Harbour Traffic Model.

This model made many assumptions about the redistribution of traffic.

Time is needed to see what actually results after the opening, and then, a much longer time frame needs to be considered for any proposals which will reduce traffic efficiency through the city centre.

Regards,

Chris Weavers,

Coffs Harbour.