Programs improve safety on local roads

Blue Mountains City Council is working with the Roads & Maritime Services (RMS) on two programs to improve the safety of our local roads.

Council has successfully nominated four projects for funding from the NSW Government Safer Roads Program (previously known as the Black Spot Program) that aims to reduce crashes by implementing road treatments at high-crash rate locations.

A total of $600,000 will fund these projects at:

Fitzroy Street and Gladstone Road, Leura Wilson Street and Lovel Street, Katoomba Prince George Street and Wentworth Street, Blackheath Glenbrook Road and Levy Street, Glenbrook.

Surveying and detailed design of sites will be completed by December 2019.  The works are expected to be completed by June 2020.

Previous successful projects from the Safer Roads Program include:

Explorers Road, Lapstone – that included new crash barriers, raised median and signage, and  Katoomba Street & Waratah Street, Katoomba – that included new raised pedestrian crossings, roundabout and signage.

In addition, the Pedestrian Safety Program 2018-2019 identified five sites in Katoomba, Wentworth Falls, Blackheath, Lawson and Hazelbrook with high pedestrian activity.  Council was successful in gaining $47,500 in grants to investigate sites for the introduction of a 40 km/h speed limit to make these areas safer.  Funding covers traffic studies and the implementation of the speed limits.  

Council has also made a submission to Transport for NSW for the implementation of the new speed limits. 

Mayor Mark Greenhill said: “It is our priority to identify local locations that have a history of road crashes and to implement these programs, to improve safety for road users. This funding allows us to find site specific solutions.” 

Each year Council undertakes crash data analysis to identify locations that need attention. 

Nominations are submitted to the RMS, which undertakes its own technical review and economic assessment. Projects are then prioritised based on their potential to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, targeting the most critical safety issues.

Between 2013-2017 there were a total of 1404 crashes in the Blue Mountains, seven of which were fatal. Thirty-one per cent of accidents were on local roads. 85% involved light vehicles – 101 motorcycles, 33 cyclists, 50 pedestrians and 505 truck. Speeding was a factor in 33% of crashes, fatigue in 9% and alcohol in 5%.

Pic: Mayor Greenhill at the intersection of Glenbrook Road and Levy Street, Glenbrook.