There are several ways it can work, but none of them ideal:
1. Ban parking on Jones Street and make it wide enough for cars to pass. This seems improbable because residents want to park outside their houses.
2. Introduce a one-way system where cars drive down Jones Lane to go into HM and up Jones Street to leave HM. Or the other way around. Also seems unacceptable as the existing residents of Jones Street (and visitors) would need to drive through HM to go to their houses. This would effectively make the driveway at the side of HM into a public road. But no apartment building has the public driving through its property like that, and what happens if a member of the public hits the building? Jones Lane is a tiny little street, it would feel like we're sneaking in the back way.
3. Leave it as single lane and drivers have to wait if someone is already coming towards them. This would work most of the time but what happens when two cars arrive at the same time and meet in the middle of Jones Street? Does one then have to reverse back a long way? This seems the most likely of the options, as existing residents must do this, but we'll need to keep our eyes open.
4. Install a traffic light system. This sounds weird for a short street, but it may be necessary to give cars right of way.
I wonder if this has been sorted out. Does anyone have an opinion on how it will work?
The Development Application (D/2011/1798) talks about a through site link, which sounds like your second option (although it doesn't say anything about "only" one-way)
ReplyDeletehttp://meetings.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/council/about-council/meetings/documents/meetings/2012/Committee/Planning/230712/120723_PDTC_ITEM09.pdf
Under "Public Consultation" ...
(b) Vehicle access to and from the site is inadequate and will cause
inconvenience to residents living along Jones St and will increase
danger to school children. Warning lights should be installed at
crossings near the school.
Comment: Vehicle access is considered suitable to this site, and has been
supplemented by the through site link connecting Jones Street and Jones Lane.
This link will allow vehicles to enter and exit the site without needing to reverse on
a road, and all servicing will be contained within the site.
PS. I've been following your blog for a while, great work!
Hi Elana and Graham,
ReplyDeleteExcellent question! In my opinion, Option 2 is most viable. We should not forget that HM will become a huge source of additional revenue for the local Council, so we should put it on the Council to sort all this out. Having to wait / reverse out of the road will be unacceptable for a building with over 130 apartments. The residents of Jones St and Jones Lane may be unhappy, however, the benefits to them are: a) not havibg to wait / reverse anymore themseves, b) HM provides a direct link for them to the light rail station, fish market etc. Cheers, Elena
I think I saw markings on the footpath in Jones Street last couple of times I've been there. They might be halving it or reducing it to allow the residents to park and have two way traffic fit on Jones St but I could be guessing wrong.
ReplyDeleteThanks George and Kaushal - yes, surely the Council must already be thinking of a solution (I hope).
ReplyDelete