Palmwoods
District News

October
1998

Page 1

INTERSECTION TRAFFIC SOLUTION:
It's control by speed camera

SPEED cameras will be installed at the Blackall Street and Mackenzie Road intersections with the Nambour Connection Road as the State Government pushes ahead with its plans for an $8 million overpass at the Keil Mountain intersection.

A Palmwoods Progress Association-led deputation met with Main Roads Minister Steve Bredhauer during the country cabinet meeting in Nambour last month in a bid to have traffic lights installed at the three major intersections between Palmwoods and Nambour.

"We presented a case that traffic lights would be the cheapest, quickest and most effective option," PPA president Ron Corelli said. "The Minister and his officials met us on site the following day but it was apparent that his mind was made up on the issue."

Member for Nicklin Peter Wellington, who helped arrange the deputation and was also part of the on-site talks said he had since spoken to the Director-General and now was of the opinion that there would not be any significant savings by changing course.

"The intersection would still have to be upgraded to traffic light standard and the whole thing could be dragged out even further," he said. "The community wants this issue resolved and if it’s going to cost millions anyway, then we shouldn’t slow the process down with further investigations."

Mr Wellington denied it was a case of official blackmail where the government was saying take the option we offer or we will delay the project.

"The department is happy to look at other options if we want to see the work delayed but it has considered the options and claims that there will be no significant savings if traffic lights are installed," he said.

"I want to see this problem resolved as soon as possible . I have raised the issues. I have been told there will be no significant savings and now a decision has been made to support it so that work will get going."

Resumptions are now underway at the Keil Mountain intersection, with problems still occurring on resumption of one property.

The Transport Minister’s Policy Advisor Paul Low said tenders would be called at the end of this month and the contract awarded in January 1999 for expected completion "in the 1999 calendar year".

"The Main Roads Department has investigated and expects to introduce electronic speed signs and speed cameras at the other two intersections," he said.

Maroochy Shire Councillor Leigh Rowan, who represents the Keil Mountain area, said residents in her division were most concerned about the overpass proposal as it would make the Keil Mountain and Diddillibah Roads much busier. She said the roads were not capable of carrying additional traffic and the project could well become "an even bigger extravagance".

"They were very concerned when they got notice that the overpass was

planned as they were under the impression it would be traffic lights," she said. "A very strong commitment has been made by Main Roads engineers that they want to keep the Nambour Connection Road as a high speed zone."

Ms Rowan said there had also been talk of limiting access to the Connection Road.

However a public meeting held at the Big Pineapple about four years ago attracted more than 1000 residents who made it clear they favoured traffic lights.

Co-organiser of the meeting Peter Rowan of Woombye said that it had been the biggest public meeting of its kind ever on the Sunshine Coast and a lot of "brain storming" had gone into it.

"The message came out very strongly that people were in favour of lights," he said. "Most people indicated they wanted traffic lights at Keil Mountain which would ease the situation at Blackall Street until lights could be installed there too."

The PPA’s Mr Corelli said he was disappointed at the government attitude in the face of public opinion.

"It is extremely difficult to imagine that traffic lights, even with some accompanying roadworks, could come to anywhere near $8 million," he said. "It appears that the government does not want to know about long-term solutions for the whole of the Nambour Connection Road between Keil Mountain and Nambour."

He said the deputation had emphasised that the Nambour bypass was now the fast speed zone with the Connection Road a link road for local residents to access Nambour.

"To use a punishment system such as radar traps and speed cameras to control traffic speed is obscene when the government should be acting more responsibly and using traffic lights to slow the traffic," Mr Corelli said.

Editorial Page 3

Finances for the Keil Mountain overpass:

• The project will cost an estimated total of $8 million.
• This includes resumptions. There are 29 landowners affected by the proposal. There is a problem with one property.
• State Treasurer David Hamill in handing down the Budget last month announced that $1.1 million had been set aside for "intersection improvements" in 1998/99.
• The Transport Minister’s Policy Advisor Paul Low said $6.423 million had been allocated in the Main Roads program for the project "post 1998/99".
• Another $470,000 has already been spent at the intersection to June 30, this year.
• Transport Minister Steve Mr Bredhauer’s media officer Andrew Williams advises last week that: "since that figure ($8m.) was prepared for the Budget, Main Roads are looking at it and believe it can be done cheaper". He said the project was still being looked at and there would be some "re-jigging". The officers were unable to provide further information on how the funds would be made available and if this would affect completion of the project.

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