Summary
Council is seeking traffic related advice from the Local
Traffic Committee in relation to the concept temporary access arrangements
into the Mercato basement car park over the Christmas holiday period and
until the development officially opens in March 2019.
Background
On 20 November
2014, Council granted development consent (10.2013.587.1) for the redevelopment
of existing shopping centre to create a ground floor supermarket, first floor
retail shops, restaurants, bowling alley (recreation facility), art gallery
(commercial premises), cinema complex (place of assembly) and basement car
parking providing 328 car parking spaces on two (2) levels (known as Mercato
On Byron) at 112-114 Jonson Street BYRON BAY
(see Figure 1, Site Location). A number of modifications have
subsequently been approved with the latest development consent being
10.2013.587.4.
![](LTC_22112018_MIN_932_EXTRA_files/image016.jpg)
Figure 1.
Site Location
As a part of
the development application, a Transport and Traffic Assessment was prepared
by TTM and submitted in July 2014. Construction of the new shopping centre
began early 2017, following the demolition of the existing shops. The
development is scheduled to be operational by March 2019.
A condition of
the development consent requires a roundabout at the Jonson Street / Carlyle
Street intersection and a short right-turn pocket for southbound traffic on
Jonson Street to access the development. The applicant submitted
engineering plans in accordance with the development consent for approval
under section 138 of the Roads Act 1993. However, Council and Roads and
Maritime Services (RMS) have raised several matters regarding safety and
operations of the proposed roundabout and access layout. These matters
include:-
· the roundabout creates significant
deflection for southbound traffic and very little deflection for northbound
traffic on Jonson Street. This is not desirable from a design
perspective as it will encourage higher speeds for northbound traffic and
reduce safety;
· the design has not adequately addressed
safety for turning traffic, including service vehicles. Circulating, entering
and exiting turning paths have not been provided, including the impact of the
short right turn storage bay on Jonson Street;
· the design proposes a new pedestrian
link across Jonson Street on the southern leg of the roundabout, utilising
the roundabout splitter islands. Splitter islands are only intended for
minimal usage. Safer pedestrian facilities should be located clear of
the roundabout to avoid conflicts with entering and exiting traffic;
· it is understood that there may be an
opportunity to explore options to rationalise and consolidate access to
adjacent development at this location which could address the above concerns.
This is supported in the first instance; and
· it is understood the development is
planning to open in March 2019. If the road works have not been
completed, then consideration could be given to developing a Traffic
Management Plan for the interim period. Any road works within the road
reserve should be managed in accordance with the current version of the RTA
Traffic Control.
As such, a
solution is required to provide access to the development without adversely
impacting the safety and efficiency of the surrounding road network.
On 8 October 2018, the applicant submitted a traffic
impact study (Mercato on Byron, Access Traffic Impact Study prepared by
Bitzios dated 8 October 2018 – Attachment 2). Council staff
reviewed the traffic impact study and advised the applicant the following by
email on 23 October 2018:
The proposed intersection treatment by
Bitzios Consulting (Project No. 3414, Version 3 dated 8 October 2018) will
only provide a temporary solution to the traffic issues as a result of the
development, however it will fail within the design horizon. Whereas, the
recommendation from the TTM report which was accepted by Council as part of
the development consent will provide an acceptable treatment past the design
horizon. The proposed intersection treatment will have adverse impacts in the
local street network due to the re-routing
of traffic which is an unacceptable outcome and therefore is not supported.
An acceptable treatment must be
provided to maintain the safety and efficiency of the traffic in Jonson St
over the design horizon without impacting on the local street network.
Further investigation of the following
options may be considered:
1. Relocate
site access directly at the currently approved roundabout at the intersection
of Jonson and Carlyle Streets; and
2. Retain
the site access location with the currently approved roundabout but with left
in left out only at the site access and provision of a roundabout at the
intersection of Jonson and Kingsley Streets to facilitate development traffic
from the north entering the site.
Report
Approval has been sought to operate the basement carpark
of the Mercato on Byron under a traffic management plan as an interim solution
until the final access arrangements have been resolved with Council and RMS.
It is proposed for the basement car park for the Mercato
on Byron to be operational and utilised before the Christmas period, however
it should be noted that the shopping centre is not expected to be operational
until March 2019.
A traffic impact study (Mercato on Byron, Access Traffic
Impact Study prepared by Bitzios dated 8 October 2018 – Attachment 2)
was submitted to Council for consideration, which includes a traffic control
plan showing an interim access
solution to be installed until the ultimate solution is constructed. A copy
of the TCP is attached – Attachment 3.
Development Engineering staff have raised the following
concerns with the submitted TCP (Option 1):-
· the
proposed intersection treatment will have adverse impacts in the local street
network due to the re-routing of local traffic away from the Carlyle Street
and Jonson Street intersection;
· existing
traffic islands must be removed for the temporary arrangements to function as
designed; and
· articulated
vehicles are unable to make a left turn out of the development site.
Development engineering staff suggest an alternate option
(Option 2) as a trial for an ultimate solution with left in left out only at
the site access and temporary roundabouts at the Carlyle Street and Jonson
Street intersection and the Kingsley Street and Jonson Street intersection
– see Attachment 4. No design details have been prepared for this
option and as such issues have not been investigated but it is noted that
existing traffic islands must also be removed for this traffic arrangement.
Traffic engineering advice is sought from LTC on the most
appropriate option for an interim solution to allow the operation of the
carpark under a traffic management plan.
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