Bonny Hills Progress Association has raised concerns about the proposal of U-turns at the Houston Mitchell Drive intersection

The association said they are "astonished" that a long awaited overpass is being overlooked, while stage three plans consider the provision of U-turn bays at the Ryans Road intersection and south at Aintree Road intersection.

Read more: Safety improvements at the Houston Mitchell Drive and Pacific Highway intersection planned for end of August

Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams announced last week work was set to begin at the intersection at the end of August to install a 400 metre left turn deceleration lane from the Pacific Highway into Houston Mitchell Drive for southbound motorists and an acceleration lane onto the highway for southbound motorists turning left out of Houston Mitchell Drive.

Road shoulders will also be widened turning in and out of Houston Mitchell Drive, with new safety barriers and line marking installed as part of stage two of the $2.9 million state government project.

Earlier this year, the speed limit at the intersection was reduced to 100kmh from the original 110kmh speed limit one kilometre north and south of Houston Mitchell Drive.

Stage three of the project is being considered and may include removing the right turn into Houston Mitchell Drive and provision of U-turn bays at the Ryans Road intersection and south at Aintree Road intersection.

The Progress Association had previously set up a sub-committee earlier this year to campaign for best practice improvements to road safety at the intersection after numerous traffic accidents.

Committee chair Kathy Regan said while the group is delighted with current works to lengthen slip lanes, an overpass is essential for safe exit and entry at Houston Mitchell Drive.

"The committee believes U-turns would be a cut-rate solution, falling far short of best practice an creating their own safety risks," she said.

"Why is this increasingly busy intersection less important than all the others from Port Macquarie north, and the soon-to-begin overpass at the Harrington Road intersection with the highway?

"Our committee has done concurrent traffic counts at the two intersections and traffic exiting and entering Harrington Road is far less than that at Houston Mitchell Drive.

"The sightlines at Harrington Road are far longer than at Houston Mitchell Drive. If an overpass has been judged as needed at the Harrington intersection, surely the needs here are even greater."

Ms Regan said her committee will continue to press for an overpass to protect the people of Bonny Hills, Lake Cathie and the many visitors to the area.

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