Bob Nicoll was among the community members to attend a drop-in session on June 22 as part of community consultation about draft Port Macquarie CBD pedestrian facility designs.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is seeking community views about proposed designs for pedestrian and traffic management upgrades at key Port Macquarie CBD locations and a proposal to reduce the Port Macquarie CBD speed limit to 40 km/h.

Mr Nicoll told the Port News that it was a wonder there weren’t more accidents given the number of pedestrians running the gauntlet to cross Gordon Street between Hollingworth and Horton streets.

“It can be daunting at times because there is so much traffic, especially at holiday times,” he said.

“Waiting for a break in the traffic can be a crazy situation.”

The council is preparing designs to upgrade the Gordon Street and Horton Street roundabout to traffic lights.

That would include controlled pedestrian crossings on each approach to allow pedestrians to safely cross with a green walk signal.

Mr Nicoll said the traffic light proposal was probably the safest solution.

Pedestrian refuges on the Gordon and Hollingworth street roundabout approaches are also proposed.

The overall CBD project aims to make the Port Macquarie town centre safer and more convenient for pedestrians to cross roads at key locations.

The council received $75,000 through the Roads and Maritime Services Active Transport Fund to develop the CBD design concepts.

The concept drawings include a proposed pedestrian refuge at Hayward/Horton street, proposed pedestrian refuge at Horton Street south, a planned pedestrian crossing at Hayward Street in front of Coles and proposed traffic lights at William and Short street.

There is also a plan to reduce the CBD speed limit to 40 km/h.

Retiree Graham Lingard does not support the concept of a 40 km/h CBD speed zone.

“I think 50 is adequate,” he said.

“I think 40 might clutter up the traffic.”

Mr Lingard said it was a case of the sooner, the better when it came to traffic lights at the Gordon and Horton street intersection.

“There is no pedestrian crossing right through that Gordon Street area,” he said.

The draft Port Macquarie CBD pedestrian facilities designs are available for comment online or by visiting the council’s customer service centres or libraries in Laurieton, Port Macquarie and Wauchope.

Submissions close on July 1.