Consultation closed on Friday, March 11, 2016.
Wodonga Council is asking the community if it supports the idea of a trialing a shared zone in High St.
The works planned for this section of High St are due to commence in the 2018-2019 financial years which provides the opportunity for the council to create a temporary shared zone so businesses and the community can see and experience how it works.
A shared zone is a road area shared by vehicles and pedestrians in which pedestrians have priority and motorists must give way to pedestrians in a shared zone.
The proposed shared zone would run from the post office to Sesame Lane, about 100 metres in length.
The temporary shared zone would see:
- The pedestrian crossing with traffic lights at the post office turned off;
- The centre median removed;
- Pavement markings put down to differentiate the zone;
- The installation of kerb ramps to aid pedestrian movements;
- A decrease in the speed limit to 20kmh; and,
- The installation of signage and hard infrastructure including seating, gardens and trees to further activate the space.
The cost to the council for a shared zone trial is minimal as these works would either need to be done as part of the road reconstruction or are elements that can be reused.
A shared zone means:
- Increased pedestrian activity in the CBA which in turn increase shopping activity and usage of the CBA;
- A safer environment for all pedestrians to cross the street and cyclists in the CBA;
- Motorists not stopping or parking in the CBA are encouraged to use the ring road network.
A temporary shared zone has to be approved by VicRoads before proceeding and is envisaged to be installed early next year when the Havelock St extension is finished, completing another link in the internal ring road network.
The project is the result of the Australian Government National Stronger Regions Funding, which was announced in the Federal Budget in May last year, with a program of works scheduled for the next four years.