VICROADS has quashed Wodonga Council’s plan for wombat crossings through the city’s central business district because it did not meet safety standards.
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The state roads authority said the council’s proposal to install the raised zebra crossings without flashing lights and remove the traffic lights at the High Street crossing, outside the Australia Post office, would put pedestrians at risk.
A council report shows, however, that the council already knew of VicRoads’ preferences for the crossings and chose to not include the lights.
It means the council must reassess its plan for the seven crossings, which it wanted to build throughout the central business district at a cost of $170,000, in the hope it would boost retail and further “pedestrianise the city”.
But the council says its federal budget windfall of $10 million rendered that original plan obsolete anyway, and they will go back to the drawing board.
Councillors decided it March it would install the following crossings:
• three on High Street near Woodland Grove, the post office and Sesame Lane, all without flashing lights;
• one on Hovell Street adjacent to Wodonga police station, without flashing lights;
• two on Lawrence Street near the corner of High Street and between William and Hume streets, with flashing lights; and
• one on Reid Street next to the Wodonga courthouse, with flashing lights.
A council officers’ report from the March meeting shows VicRoads had recommended crossings at the post office and Sesame Lane should have flashing lights because of the volume of traffic on High Street, while council officers had recommended keeping the traffic signals at the post office.
But the councillors accepted the alternative motion put forward by Cr Anna Speedie, for fewer flashing lights, which they argued worked well in Albury’s Dean Street.
Crossings without flashing lights are $40,000 cheaper.
VicRoads has approved the three crossings with lights — which will still go ahead — but rejected the other five.
“VicRoads did not support the application for installation of crossings without flashing lights as the proposed pedestrian facilities did not meet the required standard,” VicRoads regional director for the North East Bryan Sherritt said. And the removal of the traffic lights on High Street creates a potential safety risk due to the number of pedestrians crossing this street.
“In addition all existing ‘wombat’ crossings have flashing lights and road users should encounter consistent facilities.”
The council’s director of planning and infrastructure Leon Schulz said they were advised several months ago of VicRoads’ decision but since then the council had received funding for its city centre rejuvenation.
“This has rendered our original plan irrelevant and the proposed reconstruction of High St and the CBD over the next four years will progress the council’s plans for a more pedestrian-friendly area and the reassessment of plans for wombat crossings,” he said.