Proposed pedestrian crossing in busy Kurrajong could see 10 car park spots swallowed up

Visit Kurrajong, especially on a weekend, and you’ll see what a busy village it is, with locals often searching in vain for a parking spot.

The current pedestrian crossing near Kurrajong Public School will soon be upgraded

But that could soon get worse if the go-ahead is given to a Council idea for a new raised pedestrian crossing smack-bang in the middle of the shopping strip, as well as a new roundabout at the junction of Timms Road.

That roundabout would sit pretty much outside the proposed $7.9m shopping centre at 87 Bells Line of Road, which is winding its way through the Development Application process and which will see an additional 40 car parking spaces.

The roundabout could “provide an amenity for traffic to turn around within the town centre,” says Council’s letter to residents about the proposed changes.

The Council has been busy checking out traffic speeds and vehicle frequency on the 40kph strip through the village – people are treating it more like a 50kph section their research shows – and have decided to go ahead and upgrade the current pedestrian crossing near Kurrajong Public School with a so-called ‘wombat’ raised section and better lighting.

Funds for that project are already available so it will soon go ahead but the Council are also asking residents what they think about the additional pedestrian crossing idea as well as the roundabout suggestion – funding is not yet available for those two.

The big issue with any new pedestrian crossing in the middle of the village is the potential loss of those 10 car parking spaces, when spaces are always full come the weekend, and even often in the week too – but some of that loss could be recouped thanks to the new shopping centre’s planned 40 spaces, if it gets the go-ahead.

Again, the proposed crossing would be a wombat style, so a raised section aimed at slowing motorists down, and would join another new raised section as you come into the 40kph zone

near Buckett Place, plus one at the other end of the 40kph strip too.

Residents are asked to provide community feedback on the proposed roundabout and new pedestrian crossing to Christopher Amit, the Manager Design and Mapping Services, via email at council@hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au by December 8.

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