Safer streets are coming

A broad coalition of West Hobart residents and community representatives made strong  presentations to the West Hobart Residents Traffic Committee on 23 February and also to the City Infrastructure Committee (CIC) on 24 February.  The Residents Traffic Committee and the residents who made representations to the CIC strongly supported the recommendations of the recent external consultants' report (see details here).   In addition, Cate Sumner (representing the schools community) noted that installation of an "unstaffed" children's crossing could be endorsed by the Commissioner Transport in the vicinity of the train park, where the speed limit is 40 kph.

The Aldermen of the CIC were generally sympathetic to the concerns of the residents, but several  had some concerns about installing traffic lights at the proposed locations.  The CIC's recommendation to the full Council was (in a nutshell) to accept the recommendations made by Council staff and to bring forward the proposed extra median lanes and improvements to existing crossing points along Hill St to the next financial year, and also to progress the installation of the children's crossing near the train park.

Example of a more pedestrian-oriented crossing.

 These recommendations went to the full Council last Monday 7 March for further discussion and a decision.  Alderman Anna Reynolds strongly advocated for the installation of traffic lights at the corner of Hill and Arthur Streets in order to provide safe crossing points for our older and younger residents, and was successful in getting approval for this.

The final approved motion was as follows:

13. WEST HOBART LOCAL AREA TRAFFIC INVESTIGATION

That:

1. The recommendations of the consultant report titled West Hobart Local Area Traffic Investigation – Final Report, marked as Attachment A to item 5 of the Open City Infrastructure Committee agenda of 24 February 2016, be supported in-principle and the following actions be undertaken:

(i) A workshop be convened with stakeholders in relation to the West Hobart pedestrian environment.

(ii) The Department of State Growth be requested to establish Statewide warrants for the installation of pedestrian crossings within Tasmania.

(iii) The Council write to the Department of State Growth requesting that consideration be given to the installation of an unsupervised children’s crossing in Hill Street in the 40km/h zone near Caldew Park.

(iv) Median lanes and median islands be installed in Hill Street between Allison Street and Patrick Street and between Hamilton Street and Warwick Street, in 2016/2017 following the development of concept designs and community engagement.

 (v) A review be undertaken following the installation of the median islands and pedestrian crossings in Hill Street.

(vi) Concept design development and consultation be undertaken with directly affected residents in 2016/2017 to provide more generous pedestrian crossings in Hill Street where refuge islands are already provided.

(vii) Approach the State Government to install traffic signals at the intersection of Arthur & Hill Streets and consider submitting a Blackspot Program application in 2016 to support the installation of signals at this location.

(viii) That temporary treatments be used in the short-term to test the pedestrian crossing and median island measures (ie tactical urbanism).

2. The West Hobart Resident Traffic Committee, Lansdowne Crescent Primary School, The Friends School, Taroona High School, Lawrenny Court, businesses along Hill Street and those people who participated in the consultation conducted by MRCagney, be advised of the Council’s decision.