RESIDENTS are being asked to have a say on plans to improve safety at the Oxley Highway intersection at King Creek Road.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams said the NSW government is listening to the community about the need to improve safety and efficiency at the intersection.
"Locals expressed their concerns about congestion and safety at the King Creek Road intersection and the NSW government has listened," Mrs Williams said.
"Transport for NSW is working on short, medium and long-term strategies to address community safety and traffic flow concerns at the intersection.
"Work on the short-term strategies, which will support 10 jobs, is being accelerated and is expected to be completed before Christmas.
"This includes providing electronic messaging at the intersection and improving sight lines by trimming vegetation."
Between 2015 and 2020 there were eight crashes at the intersection of the Oxley Highway and King Creek Road. These crashes included three serious injury crashes, eight moderate injury crashes and one non casualty crash.
Transport for NSW has been developing short, medium and long-term strategies to improve safety at this intersection in response to safety and efficiency issues raised by the community. Community members have advocated for both short term and long-term strategies to address both safety and traffic growth in the area.
The Oxley Highway road corridor is significantly constrained at the King Creek intersection due to water, power and optic fibre services to the north; properties and nearby houses to the south; and bridges and culverts to the east/west. This means that potential options such as a roundabout or traffic signals require a longer development time and detailed investigations in the planning phase to ensure they are able to operate safety and efficiently.
Community feedback is sought on the proposed medium-term strategies to improve safety and efficiency while longer term solutions continue to be explored.
The safety improvements at the King Creek Road and Oxley Highway intersection would include:
- Installing vehicle activated signs (solar operated) to warn east and west bound motorists of vehicles turning out of King Creek Road and turning right into King Creek Road.
- Providing a left turn lane, 45m in length, in King Creek Road.
- Providing a two staged merging lane with increased median width for motorists turning right from King Creek Road.
- Removing the existing channelised right turn treatment.
- Maintaining right and left turn movements from the Oxley Highway into King Creek Road.
- Resurfacing the road in the project area.
Short-term strategies including providing electronic messaging at the intersection and improving sight lines by trimming vegetation are planned to be implemented from November 22.
Member for Oxley Melinda Pavey said the medium-term strategies are now available for community comment and all residents and stakeholders are encouraged to have their say on what is being proposed.
"We're now asking the community to comment on the medium-term strategies, which include installing permanent vehicle activated signs on the Oxley Highway and King Creek Road warning of approaching vehicles and building new turning lanes on King Creek Road," Mrs Pavey said.
"Transport for NSW is also working on longer-term strategies for this intersection and the community will be kept informed about these as plans progress."
More information about the proposed changes to the intersection can be found at nswroads.work/king-creek-road.
Feedback on the proposal is now open and can be provided up until 5pm on Friday 17 December 2021, via email to regionaldirectorassets-strategy@transport.nsw.gov.au or by post to Transport for NSW, PO Box 576, Grafton, NSW 2460.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark our website
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- You can support us with a subscription
- Follow us on Twitter: @portmacnews
- Follow us on Instagram: @portmacnews
- Follow us on Google News