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Q&A Sheet: Lake Street Shared Path

The document summarizes questions and answers about the Lake Street Shared Path project in Merimbula, NSW. The project aims to build a 1.7 km shared path for pedestrians, cyclists, and mobility devices along Lake Street between Rotary Park and Merimbula Wharf. Three options were considered: making Lake Street one-way, keeping it two-way, or making part one-way and part two-way. Option A, the one-way option, was selected as the preferred option due to lower costs, environmental and social benefits, and safety improvements for users. The $2 million project is funded by a NSW government grant and aims to be completed by mid-2019.

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66 views5 pages

Q&A Sheet: Lake Street Shared Path

The document summarizes questions and answers about the Lake Street Shared Path project in Merimbula, NSW. The project aims to build a 1.7 km shared path for pedestrians, cyclists, and mobility devices along Lake Street between Rotary Park and Merimbula Wharf. Three options were considered: making Lake Street one-way, keeping it two-way, or making part one-way and part two-way. Option A, the one-way option, was selected as the preferred option due to lower costs, environmental and social benefits, and safety improvements for users. The $2 million project is funded by a NSW government grant and aims to be completed by mid-2019.

Uploaded by

Neen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Q&A Sheet

Lake Street Shared Path


General
Q. How was the project initiated?
The project is the culmination of the efforts by BOAT (the Bureau of Accessible Tourism) who submitted a
Community Project Proposal to Council in 2016, along with letters of support from the local community,
and successfully lobbied the NSW State Government in obtaining a $2 million grant to fund the project.

Q. What is being delivered?


The funding is required to deliver an all-access shared-use walkway/cycle trail along Lake Street,
Merimbula, from Rotary Park to Merimbula Wharf via Bar Beach.
All-access is for use by pedestrians, cyclists, joggers, parents with prams, disabled and mobility devices.

Q. What is the aim of the project?


The aim of the project is to provide a safe off-road route for all users along Lake Street, to improve access
to recreational facilities for the public whilst protecting environmental and cultural values of the area.
At present it is impossible for pedestrians and cyclists to safely use Lake Street to access two of
Merimbula’s top tourist attractions, Bar Beach and the Wharf.

Q. How is the project being funded?


The project is to be entirely funded by a $2 million grant from the NSW State Government under the
2017/18 Active Transport Program.
Active Transport funding is awarded to projects that make walking and cycling a more convenient, safer
and enjoyable transport option that benefits everyone.

Q. When is the project to be delivered?


As part of the funding agreement with NSW State Government the project is required to be completed in
the 2018/19 financial year.

Q. Who is in charge of the project?


The project is to be managed and delivered by Bega Valley Shire Council’s Assets and Operations.

Q. Where does the path start and finish?


The shared path will extend from Rotary Park to Merimbula Wharf via Bar Beach.
The total length is approximately 1.7 kilometres.

Q. Does the project involve just a path?


Along with the shared path, other social benefits and infrastructure will also be investigated, such as,
creating formal car parking, seating, rest areas, lookouts and opportunity for revegetation or feature
landscaping.
Lake Street Shared Path Questions and Answers

Q. Were different options explored?


Council engaged the services of Thompson Berrill Landscape Design Pty Ltd (following the request for
quotation process) to undertake a site investigation and feasibility study of options to assist Council in
consideration of the existing site conditions, available funding and delivery timeframes.
Three options were investigated as part of the study:
 Option A – One Way Road with separate path (on closed road lane)
 Option B – Two Way Road with Shared Path (on road shoulder)
 Option C – Hybrid 2 + 1: Maintain two way road to Bar Beach, one way road from Bar Beach to
Wharf Street

As part of the site investigation and feasibility study the following reports were completed:
 Review of existing site conditions
 Construction materials investigation
 Cost estimates of each option
 Geotechnical investigations
 Environmental, Heritage & Socio-economic constraints analysis
 Traffic engineering review
 Flora and fauna investigation

Q. Which is Council’s preferred option?


With the objective of making walking and cycling a more convenient, safer and enjoyable transport option
along this popular destination, Option A is the preferred option.
Option A is also the most cost effective option for construction in consideration of the existing funding as
well the most suitable in regards to long term asset management.
It also provides improved social and environmental benefits which surpass those of the alternative
options. These benefits include:
 Reduced environmental impact (no removal of mature trees, minimal impact on terrestrial
vegetation).
 Lower construction impacts and duration.
 Lowered traffic risk.
 Improved amenity and social benefits (formal car parking, seating, rest areas, lookouts or
opportunity for revegetation and feature landscaping).
 Minimal impact on cultural heritage.

Q. Will the public get input into the project?


This project started as a Community Project Proposal from the Bureau of Accessible Tourism (BOAT) and
they have been heavily consulted during the site investigation feasibility study.
The three options will go on public exhibition for community comment in April 2018.

Q. When will construction start?


In order to meet the current funding deadlines the construction of the shared path is required to
commence in the second half of 2018, with a target completion of mid-2019.

Cost & Budget


Q. Is Council contributing to the project?
No. Council resolved to support the project on the basis that it does not create a cost imposition on
Council. However, Council will be responsible for the ongoing maintenance cost. Each option will impact
the long-term asset management differently, with the lowest impact being Option A, Option C having a
moderate impact, and Option B having a significant impact.
Lake Street Shared Path Questions and Answers
Q. Why is the construction cost at $1.575 million when you have $2million in funding?
The construction budget has been set at $1.575million and excludes the following project costs:
• Design and Documentation
• Project Management
• Revegetation and restoration costs
• Weather delays and unexpected costs during construction

Q. Can Council ask for more funding from NSW State Government to cover increased costs of Option B
& C?
Yes. Council can request additional funding however there is no certainty it will be made available to fund
the project. If the extra funding is not secured upfront, Council is unable to proceed with the project.

Q. Can the funds be rolled over or used on other projects?


No. The funding is has been allocated for the Lake Street Shared Path project and has been spread over
the 2017/18 and 2018/19 financial years. It is unable to be rolled over into future years or used on any
other projects.

Q. Do Council receive the $2million as a lump sum?


No. NSW Government will only pay for actual and completed works and is unable to pay for any
incomplete project works.

Q. How were the costs for each option estimated?


The cost estimates were prepared by an independent Quantity Surveying firm with input from landscape
architects and civil engineers including initial geo-technical investigations.

Traffic & Road Safety


Q. Will speeds be reduced along Lake Street?
RMS is the authority for all speed zones in NSW. As part of the project, approval will be sought from RMS
to reduce the speed along Lake Street to 40km/hr.

Q. What is a Shared Zone? And how will it affect the use of the Wharf?
A Shared Zone is a road or network of roads where the road space is shared safely by vehicles and
pedestrians. Drivers must give way to pedestrians at all times. For more information, read:
http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/downloads/shared_zone_fact_sheet.pdf
It is not envisaged the shared zone will alter how the Wharf is currently used but it will look different to
make drivers and pedestrians aware of the different driving conditions.

Q. If Option A (One way) proceeds what direction will traffic travel along Lake Street?
Traffic will travel south (towards the wharf) on Lake Street.
The shared path will be constructed in the north bound lane (on the Lake/Ocean side).

Q. Will the project result in increased vehicular traffic volumes to Long Point?
It is not expected that there will be an increase in overall traffic flows to Long Point after the project. The
aim is to reduce vehicular traffic by encouraging active transport along the shared path and encouraging
people to leave their vehicle at home.

Q. If Option A proceeds does it mean that the other streets in the area will become busier?
Overall traffic flows will not increase but traffic flow will be redistributed to surrounding streets in the
area, however the roads have been designed to cope with any additional traffic.
Lake Street Shared Path Questions and Answers
Q. If Option A proceeds, will this add time onto my journey getting to and from properties on Lake
Street, Bar Beach and the Wharf?
Modelling has been undertaken to look at the impacts on journey times and the impacts will be minimal to
most road users.
It is expected that the impact to journey times to some residents/visitors to Lake Street will be no more
than a 2 minute increase.

Q. If Option A proceeds, if trucks and other vehicles need to access the Wharf, will they still be able to
get there easily?
The one way option will not impact on trucks and other vehicles accessing the Wharf or residences along
Lake Street.
The one way option ensures a safe distance between the roadway and the Shared Path whilst still allowing
easy access for trucks.

Q. Will the project increase the safety of road users?


All options will seek to address significant safety hazard for pedestrian, cyclists and motor vehicle users by
creating a separate shared path along Lake Street route.
Option A is the safest option for road users by reducing the risks of crashes, primarily the risk of head on
collisions.
All options look to provide a road environment with greater separation between cars and pedestrians
sharing this zone.

Q. Are you creating parking?


Currently the parking along Lake Street is ad-hoc and informal. Option A will seek to maximise and
formalise the parking, where possible, along Lake Street. This will not be a possibility with Option B and C.

Q. Will the current bus route be affected?


Options B and C will not affect the current bus route.
Option A will require an alteration to the route to reflect the changed traffic conditions. This will be done
in consultation with the bus companies and authorities.
Budget permitting, the project will seek to improve the existing bus stop for all users in line with current
accessibility standards and best practice.

Public Amenity and Residential Impacts


Q. I live and on or own a property on Lake Street. How will my property be affected during
construction?
During the construction phase there will be some impacts on how residents will access their property.
Once an option is selected the full impacts can be reviewed and assessed and residents consulted on how
the project will impact on their individual situation.

Q. I live and on or own a property on Lake Street. How will my property be affected if Option A is
selected?
All driveway access on Lake Street will be required to make a left hand turn in a southbound direction.
Certain driveways may need to be modified to ensure vehicles can enter/exit in this direction and
consultation with affected property owners will be undertaken during the design and construction phase
of the project.
Traffic volumes on Lake Street will reduce with the one-way configuration which will improve amenity of
residents along Lake Street.
Depending on where residents live on Lake Street it is expected that journey times into Merimbula town
centre will be increased by no more than 2 minutes.
Lake Street Shared Path Questions and Answers
Q. I live and on or own a property in Long Point. How will the Shared Path affect traffic in my street?
It is anticipated that there will be impacts to existing traffic along Wyeebo, Hill and Wharf streets,
however, these streets have the capacity to deal with the expected redirection of traffic.
It is not expected that there will be an increase in overall traffic flows to Long Point after the project. The
aim is to reduce vehicular traffic by encouraging active transport along the shared path and encouraging
people to leave their vehicle at home.

Q. Will the shared path provide seating and rest areas?


Depending on which option is chosen and available budget, various improvements to the public amenity
will be looked at which may include options such as a viewing platform, or rest and picnic spaces to enable
users to reflect on the natural beauty of the site.

Q . Are the lookouts part of the project?


Currently the lookouts are concepts and their construction will be dependent upon project funding
constraints and may need to form part of the future stages of the project.

Q. Will I still be able to access Bar Beach and Wharf during construction?
Yes, the construction will be staged to ensure access is maintained to Bar Beach and the Wharf during the
construction, however, there may some short delays during key construction activities.

Further information
• The project is to be managed and delivered by Bega Valley Shire Council’s Assets and Operations

• Council’s Project Officer, Bonnie Johnson will be working on the project part time. Any questions can
be emailed to [email protected] Subject line: Lake Street Shared Path feedback

• A copy of the feasibility study and options for consideration can be found at
www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au/majorprojects

• To ‘Have your Say’ and provide your feedback go to www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au/haveyoursay

23 April 2018

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