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| ‘Claytons’ solution for roundabout |
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By INGRID HARRISON TRAFFIC lights appear to have been discounted as an option to ease the traffic build up at the Mornington roundabout during peak hours. Instead, commuters to the city on the South Arm Highway in the morning and from Eastlands and Warrane along Cambridge Rd in the afternoon will be provided with ‘extra lanes’ to move traffic faster according to recommendations from state transport authorities. The recommendations to Clarence City Council by the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources (DIER) following traffic studies by engineers Pitt & Sherry are for traffic flow capacity of the roundabout to be increased through the use of a slip road and dedicated turn lanes and has all the appearances of a ‘Claytons’ solution. Surprisingly, DIER’s recommendation involves the building of a slip road on the South Arm Highway (from the Oceana Health and Fitness Centre) directly into Cambridge Road and opening the left turn lane on Cambridge Road (from Warrane) into the South Arm Highway and onto the off-ramp on the Tasman Highway. DIER says that this is the preferred option because its monitoring shows the majority of morning traffic turns left towards Warrane. Under its proposal the slip road option will move traffic turning left into Warrane earlier thereby avoiding the roundabout altogether. Its rationale for the peak-hour traffic in the afternoon is that the majority of this traffic is turning left, west to the off-ramp and onto the Tasman Highway towards the city. The left-hand slip road option from the South Arm Highway is fine for those turning left into Warrane, however it will do little to alleviate the problems for west-bound that is heading to the roundabout and that must give way to the volumes of cars travelling west from Cambridge Road, specifically Mackillop College. Regular commuters would also question DIER statistics which claim the majority of cars heading west turn left to go through Warrane towards Eastlands and beyond. Eastern Shore Sun believes that the effect of Mornington Industrial Estate traffic ‘merging’ into west-bound traffic on the South Arm Highway also has not been fully taken into account. Motorists have become so hardened to the volume of traffic from that Estate, which contains some vital southern Tasmanian businesses, that many commuters immediately veer to the left hand lane to avoid the ‘merge’ with this traffic close to the roundabout. DIER has stipulated that traffic lights at the roundabout are not an easy option because of problems associated with the northern approaches to the roundabout. It says that the installation of traffic lights will most directly affect the off-ramp from the Tasman Highway coming from the airport. This is a valid point however the options that are now before Council and which are due to go to public consultation through a letter drop to nearby residents as well as public displays at Council and the Shoreline shopping centre, will not make any major difference to traffic flow at peak times, particularly in the mornings. The plan if accepted by Council will go out to tender in August with construction to begin in summer this year. Coincidentally, DIER recently approved traffic lights on the Goodwood roundabout on the Brooker Highway as a means of easing traffic delays for northern suburbs motorists. Eastern Shore Sun urges the public, particularly those commuters who use the roundabout during these peak times, to have its say on the proposal when it is made public. This is your opportunity to ensure your views are heard.
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