TRIP hazards, decaying footpaths and driver behavioural problems are among the concerns raised by a consultant engaged by Council to develop Pedestrian Access Mobility Plans (PAMPS) for the Shire.
At its meeting last Wednesday, Council heard pedestrian obstacles throughout the Shire would cost almost $4 million to correct.
The figure is the result of an investigation by town planning consultant GeoPlan into possible improvements to pedestrian thoroughfares in the Shire.
The RTA provided $24,000 to commission the study and Council contributed a further $20,000 in staff time.
With a focus on challenged pedestrians, such as the aged and mothers pushing prams, the study found significant improvements were required in Moss Vale, Bowral and Mittagong to improve the accessibility of the Shire to pedestrians.
In Moss Vale there was found to be a need for improved traffic management, particularly where pedestrians cross intersections, such as Argyle Street.
There were also a number of “terminating footpaths” identified in the Moss Vale Town Centre, and the railway line was also found to be a significant constraint for elderly people, people with a disability and school children.The biggest issue in Bowral was footpath maintenance in and around the town centre.
There were also concerns over the interaction of large volumes of pedestrians and vehicles in the town’s car parks, with a general need to improve the level of pedestrian “amenity”.
Traffic and pedestrian interaction is better managed at Mittagong, according to the study, however, one issue is the lack of footpaths along primary pedestrian routes and crossing points on main roads.
In delivering a draft report on the study, GeoPlan transport consultant Ludmilla Hawley presented Council with a series of slides which featured drivers parking on footpaths blocking pedestrian access, tree roots destroying frequented footpaths and uneven walkways inviting liability problems for Council.
General manager David McGowen said the poor state of many pedestrian avenues comes as no surprise to Council, however, he said the aim of developing PAMPS is not to simply outline pedestrian access problems in the Shire, but to prioritise which problems Council should address first.
“There is no way that all of the ($4 million required) is going to be available,” he said.
“We’re trying to say where we should put the money, to identify the main danger spots.
“We will now use this report to seek funding from the RTA, this information will make it easier to get that funding, and we’ll undertake projects as that funding becomes available.”
Council will hold an information night early in 2001 to aid in its selection of priorities from the PAMPS for Mittagong, Bowral and Moss Vale.
The aim of the project was to assess the primary pedestrian routes taking into account the pedestrian catchments of primary “generators” such as schools and clubs, the numbers of pedestrians using these routes and the specific needs of different types of users.
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