Written by Alan Kerlin Saturday, 01 September 2007 03:00
UPDATE
The traffic problems outside Burgmann school are clearly hitting a nerve with many Gungahlin residents, as this article is now the most commented-on item we've had on our redesigned website. This is exactly why we created the website this way - so Gungahlin residents would have a way to easily but effectively engage in community issues of concern. Thank you everyone for your contributions, as this can only help to add weight to our efforts to get a solution from the government.
A meeting on 15 August was attended by two people from Roads ACT, two AFP officers, the Burgmann Principal Paul Browning and reps from the school Board and P and F, plus me. Everyone agreed that the situation was serious and I believe were keen to come up with solutions. Your observations on the outcomes below are most welcome.
Short-term fixes
There was general agreement that a lot of the log-jam with people dropping off is caused by people wanting to turn right when leaving either the school or the scout hall parking area. The meeting agreed that placing No Right Turn restrictions on the exits of the Burgmann drop-off closest the intersection and the Scout Hall block (as shown on the attached mud map in magenta 375.91 KB) would likely help a lot in the short term. It would mean that people who had previously turned right at these points would be forced to drive 'around the block' but that this would result in much the same time impost as trying to turn right anyway, without also holding up everyone else. (Roads ACT have since come back to Burgmann saying that they would do a study to see if the signs would actually make a difference and what other impact that they would make before they committed to erecting such signs.)
Roads ACT also advised that the tender for extending the left-turn lane in front of the school has been advertised, with the intention still being to have these works completed by year's end.
I asked about the school starting a roster of people to operate as 'lollypop' controllers on the uncontrolled pedestrian crossing from the scout hall. I was told by ACT Roads 'we don't have them in ACT' to which my response was 'why not?' and the AFP's response was 'Yes we do have one in Aranda.' So I put it to Paul Browning that while lollypop people wouldn't fix the traffic problems, they would at least make the crossing safer - a key concern raised by comments lodged on this article.
Paul also mentioned that a lot of parents are parking in Delma View so they hop the fence with their children and walk them down to the school. I suggested that they could instead start a 'mini-walking school bus' where someone escorts those children down to the school in a group so parents can just drop them off and clear the area. Paul suggested this could be something handled by School Seniors.
Sustainable solution
But these are quick fixes. As the traffic from newly developing areas to the north and east grows, there will only be more traffic pressure from people wanting to go back in that direction. As the main problem on Delma View is people dropping off after driving right down this suburban backstreet, I described a solution that would bring traffic straight across Delma View from Warwick Street and onto the Wells Station Track reserve, and then connect with the existing long carpark inside Burgmann grounds. This solution is shown in the attached map in red (remembering that the satellite photo is a bit old so many newer buildings are not shown).
I have emailed the following request to Neil Savery in ACTPLA, and await his advice:
I am interested in trying to broker a longer term solution to the issue (longer lasting - not longer to get built!). Road ACT reps at the meeting pointed out that they are extremely limited in what they can achieve along this path by planning constraints resulting from the 2005(?) appeal decision by residents of Delma View preventing an access off their street as part of a previous DA. Largely the residents' attempts to keep their street quiet have failed as more and more cars choke the skinny street (what other sort do we have in Gungahlin???) as kids are dropped off anyway to jump the fence and walk to the school cross-country. There are reports of conflicts arising between some residents and the parents as a result.
On the attached map in red I have shown a potential solution that I believe would work, with traffic coming in off Warwick Street, and onto the Wells Station Track reserve to connect with the existing (but not shown too well on the imagery) Burgmann car park. This way only the eight houses on Warwick Street would get one-way only traffic and could still exit their homes even at the busiest of times. Other arrows on my mud map show left turn only and right turn allowable solutions that would minimise the conflicts, ensure smooth circular flows, and get traffic that came from areas north/east heading back that way after drop-off.
What I need is advice please on exactly what the planning/legal constraints are on implementing this sort of sustainable solution, and if there are any such constraints, what would be a path to solving them?
On the attached map in red I have shown a potential solution that I believe would work, with traffic coming in off Warwick Street, and onto the Wells Station Track reserve to connect with the existing (but not shown too well on the imagery) Burgmann car park. This way only the eight houses on Warwick Street would get one-way only traffic and could still exit their homes even at the busiest of times. Other arrows on my mud map show left turn only and right turn allowable solutions that would minimise the conflicts, ensure smooth circular flows, and get traffic that came from areas north/east heading back that way after drop-off.
What I need is advice please on exactly what the planning/legal constraints are on implementing this sort of sustainable solution, and if there are any such constraints, what would be a path to solving them?
In the meantime, there have been parking officers operating in Delma View last week. Following is the explanation they sent to Burgmann. Burgmann parents should please comply with the road rules and not aggravate the situation with Delma View residents, as this will only get in the way of potential solutions.
I have been advised by the Manager of ACT Parking Operations that they were requested by a resident of Delma View to attend because a driver had parked on the nature strip outside their property. Parking operations also noted that several drivers were parked too close to The Valley Avenue intersection adjacent to double lines causing a potentially unsafe situation. All drivers were requested to move on and I understand that they did so. It is contrary to the ACT Road Rules to park on nature strips and adjacent to double lines unless there is 3m clearance from the parked vehicle to the double lines. It is also contrary to the ACT Road Rules to put two wheels on the nature strip to provide the 3m clearance.
You may recall that it was clearly stated at the meeting that vehicles should only park on Delma View if the pavement is sufficiently wide enough to do so in accordance with the Road Rules and that they should not park on the nature strips. I understand that we confirmed to you that there is sufficient width to permit cars to park legally on one side of the road.
Parking operations staff have been instructed to:
You may recall that it was clearly stated at the meeting that vehicles should only park on Delma View if the pavement is sufficiently wide enough to do so in accordance with the Road Rules and that they should not park on the nature strips. I understand that we confirmed to you that there is sufficient width to permit cars to park legally on one side of the road.
Parking operations staff have been instructed to:
- Inform motorists to park on the school side of Delma View, with the exception of the area at the intersection of The Valley Ave where there are double white lines; and
- Advise motorists parked on the nature strip, concrete footpath or in driveways on the house side of the street, that they need to find alternative parking or risk being issued with an infringement.
11 August 2007
The Burgmann School is an iconic institution in the Gungahlin community, and features inspiring architecture. Currently the only high school in central Gungahlin, with Year 12 starting next year, the rapidly growing campus is experiencing growing pains.
Its landmark site at the corner of Valley Way and Gungahlin Drive may be high profile, but comes with substantial challenges. Burgmann Principal Paul Browning will explain those issues at our 12 September meeting.
The biggest challenge faced by the school is the abysmal traffic situation outside the school at drop-off and pick-up times. As you'll see below, the responses from Transport Minister John Hargreaves are quite inadequate, and the Member from Tuggeranong is clearly unaware of the seriousness of the situation.
The school and their P&F have asked the GCC to help them to get the problem taken seriously. We have to ask: is that one of those classic "A Current Affair" situations where no-one in government took appropriate action until AFTER someone was killed??
Some background:
The ACT Government stipulated this site for the school in 1999, and also stipulated via a master plan the locations for carparks, ingress and egress, with most of this coming off the street to the east called Delma View, as bringing everything off Valley Way so close to the intersection with Gungahlin Drive would create a dangerous situation.
The site (see map) also straddles the stormwater channel that takes run-off from around half of the Gungahlin Town Centre and half of Palmerston. The school is currently talking with GCC about the stormwater issue, and looking to dovetail their plans for retention ponds and wetlands into ours for similar works on the other side of the road behind the scout hall - see article and photo here.
Burgmann Principal Paul Browning first wrote to the ACT Government about traffic problems around the school in 2001. Meanwhile residents buying into the strip of houses along Delma View were told by the developers that it would always be a protected view over grasslands, omitting the rather important detail that the school's traffic would also come via their street. They were understandably concerned when the school announced plans to construct this access, and their protest was at that time supported by the GCC.
Things have moved on though - and the traffic problems are becoming far far worse than perhaps anyone expected. Earlier this year Paul Browning wrote to Minister Hargreaves (142.70 KB) pointing out the number of accidents and near misses occurring outside the school, and imploring the Minister to take action to address the problem that the government created by requiring the school use this location.
A month later Minister Hargreaves responded (96.00 KB) , saying that works to improve access off Valley Way would be completed before the end of the year, but that more enduring solutions would only:
"be considered for implementation as part of the future Capital Works program".
As stated above, The Member representing the far other end of Canberra is clearly unaware of just how serious this situation is.
Subsequent to this, ACTION have written to Roads ACT (both under Minister Hargreaves' portfolio) requesting urgent action to remedy the problem, that sees ACTION bus drivers forced to break the law as a result of the traffic problems. Roads ACT's solution? They wrote to the Australian Federal Police requesting a ramping up of police action around the school!
The AFP have in turn replied that they conduct regular enforcement activities around the school, but have said that:
"this on it's own will not address the problems of traffic congestion and the 'what else am I supposed to do?' excuse being used"
and that:"in most cases for the circumstances outlined below, the breaches of the "No Stopping" when attempting to turn left and right into the front of the school would not warrant an infringement from Police".
The AFP also stated that:
"The issue of road conditions surrounding Burgmann Anglican School has been raised a number of times with limited success on planning outcomes."
The AFP have called for an urgent meeting between all parties to address what they call "the unsustainable road conditions" around the school. Good on them! It is most reassuring that the police can see the seriousness of the situation, even if the responsible ACT Minister cannot. Paul Browning has asked me to attend this meeting when it is arranged, and we look forward to helping resolve this dangerous situation - hopefully before someone is killed.
What do you think? Please add your comment below.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Login
Who's Online
We have 10 guests online