Have Your Say on the Yandilla Street pedestrian crossing

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) is asking the Pittsworth community to have its say on a proposed pedestrian crossing for Yandilla Street.

TRC Infrastructure Services portfolio leader Cr Melissa Taylor said Council had been engaged to design a pedestrian crossing in 2017 on behalf of the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) as the street is part of the State-controlled road network.

“While there was overwhelming support for the crossing at the time, Council has become aware of mixed views on the project and is inviting the community to have its say on the crossing,” Cr Taylor said.

“The proposed crossing, which will help to improve safety for pedestrians and motorists, will be located near the Pittsworth swimming pool on one side and the Pittsworth Medical Centre on the other side.

“The zebra crossing would be constructed on a raised platform to increase pedestrians’ visibility and to reduce vehicle speeds (proposed 40km/h).”

Cr Taylor said the pedestrian crossing proposal was the result of community requests, particularly from the elderly and younger demographics, to both DTMR and Council, reports of near misses and the need to find a safe place to cross the street.

She said that four parking bays on each side of the road would need to be removed to allow enough room so that vehicles don’t reverse out on to the pedestrian crossing.

“However, Council is also looking at what parking improvements can be made in the area, including proposing to re-align bays to provide an additional eight car parking spaces in Yandilla Street, installing nine angle parking bays in Murray Street to help alleviate parking concerns associated with swimming carnivals, and upgrading the two disabled parking bays in front of the Pittsworth Medical Centre to make them compliant with current Australian Standards,” Cr Taylor said.

“While Council will be asking the community if they support the project, we would like their views on how and where people would be able to safely cross the street – especially the elderly, children, people with impaired mobility and parents with prams.

“Residents will receive a consultation flyer and survey in their letter boxes in coming weeks. They can return the survey forms to Council’s Pittsworth Service Centre at 85 Yandilla Street, email [email protected] or phone Council’s Stakeholder engagement team on 4688 6116.”

The community can also have their say via the Your Say online consultation website at https://yoursay.tr.qld.gov.au/yandilla-street-pittsworth-pedestrian-crossing 

The consultation period will close on 16 December 2020 and a final decision on the project will be made based on the outcome of the consultation.