Susanna Freymark
Concerns about safety on Centre Street in Casino have been an issue for a long time.
The heavy highway traffic impacts local traffic and pedestrians.
At the Richmond Valley Council meeting on June 25, councillor Steve Morrissey will ask the council to write to relevant ministers about putting a roundabout or traffic lights at the Richmond and Canterbury streets intersections and a safer pedestrian crossing at the Centre and Barker streets intersection.
Background to the issue was provided by the council in its agenda for the June 25 meeting.
Twelve years ago, the council coordinated a study of the intersection funded by the then Roads and Maritime Services, and the report recommended a roundabout to solve the existing traffic issues. A concept design was provided in 2012 as part of the funding at an estimated cost of $2.1million. That amount would most likely need to be doubled to meet the cost today.
School bus congestion at the Richmond Street intersection with Centre Street is dangerous because of the large number of buses entering this intersection at the same time, as well as a busy pedestrian crossing at this location used by school children and parents, this congests traffic in both directions from the Hare Street intersection down to the Centre and Barker streets roundabout.
Traffic numbers are substantial along Centre Street and include many B-doubles. Both intersections are located close to community facilities, such as schools, shops and the Casino Memorial Swimming Pool.
To secure funding for the project, the council has made multiple applications to the Federal Government’s Black Spot Program.
Based on feedback, the council has stopped doing this as it was deemed ineligible for the program as a result of the predominantly low-speed nature of traffic incidents that occur at the intersections – many go unreported to the police.
Over the last decade, the council has consistently raised this issue with Transport for NSW who are responsible for these roads.
What will it take for something to be done about these intersections in Casino?
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