A 20KM/H zone favouring pedestrians over vehicles could be trialled in High Street, Wodonga, for 12 months from mid-2016.
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It is proposed the speed limit be introduced from Sesame Street south to the pedestrian traffic lights outside the post office.
Wodonga Council's planning and infrastructure director Leon Schultz said initial feedback through the city's temporary High Street shopfront had been positive.
![Walkers welcome: Part of High Street, Wodonga, would be turned into a 20km/h zone under a council plan. Picture: MARK JESSER Walkers welcome: Part of High Street, Wodonga, would be turned into a 20km/h zone under a council plan. Picture: MARK JESSER](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XJLgPnEdnKaFugZzKyL6Sw/b83fbe80-5e6a-423a-a1c9-810085837d54.jpg/r0_231_4459_3013_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"In the consultation process that we did undertake at the end of October and early November, we did get the indication that there was considerable support for it, whether that support is overwhelming is difficult to say at this stage," Mr Schultz said.
The council plans to gain specific feedback next February and if that is encouraging an application will be made to VicRoads for a trial.
Mr Schultz said the affected stretch of High Street was likely to have a modified surface, via a coat of paint of roughened asphalt, the median strip removed and a low speed limit.
"High Street is currently a 40km/h zone, over the shared zone it will most likely be reduced further to 20km/h," he said.
"What it means is in that shared zone space the pedestrian has right of way, so any pedestrian walking in that area has right of way, the vehicle will have to stop for the pedestrian.
"It doesn't mean you can put a blindfold on and walk across, but what it does mean is a pedestrian has priority in that zone."
Mr Schultz said if a trial occurred it was likely to run until mid-2017.
"The plan is to undertake those works for 12 months and evaluate it continuously over that period," he said.
"We need to give it a fair go and see how it works.
"I think three months is possibly too short, people's behaviours perhaps won't necessarily change over that period."
Mr Schultz said the zone was aimed at encouraging more consumers and diverting traffic onto bypass routes.
"We still want the shoppers in the area obviously, but as has often been said not a lot of money is spent in a vehicle when you're driving straight through.
"We want the people to stop, shop and support the businesses."
Councillors have supported a plan for more feedback on the 20km/h stretch along with approving ways of bettering communication on its $20.8 million central business district upgrade.
They include using a mobile trailer for promotion, setting up a street stall, having a mobile pop-up information booth and out-of-hours such as business breakfasts.
Work is expected to begin on the multi-faceted project in July, 2017.