Walking What the Community told us Concerns • Limited safe pedestrian crossings along streets such as Pearson and Best • Insufficient signage to identify walking tracks • Currently no signage or markings to identify cyclists/walking etc. Track should be split with a line • Runners, cyclists and walkers do not have enough room to pass and overtake other traffic • Shared zones safety concerns for both vehicles and pedestrians • Due to the safety (particularly at night) and infrastructure concerns for pedestrians, walkers have become discouraged and are relying on cars • There are limited specific tracks for walkers other than the river • Safety concerns particularly for school children • Lack of maintenance on walking tracks • The walking attitude of Wagga Wagga often lacks a positive attitude
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Opportunities • This is a major problem for mothers with prams and toddlers. Building pedestrian crossings would solve this concern • Install signage along the track would be both helpful and aesthetically pleasing for walkers • Create signage along The Wiradjuri Walking Track • Widen walking tracks • Increase dedicated cycle and walkway areas • Improve pedestrian infrastructure • Encourage more bicycle use and walking • Promote different walking themes around town - “Beach Walk”; “Billabong Walk (Lagoon)”; “Viewing Platform Walk” (including Tatton Hills) • Improve lighting and use CCTV cameras • Build separate tracks for pedestrians to increase the level of walking around Wagga Wagga, this will minimise traffic congestion • Establish a ‘Walking Bus’ • Regular repairs and maintenance for walking infrastructure • Ensure tracks are blown and cleaned to remove leaves and branches • Implement more community education on health and safety benefits of walking • Increase focus on walking and cycling • Community engagement campaign to lift walking profile as a viable option of transport • Educate the community on the needs and rights of cyclists on the road • Establish a ‘walking bus’ to encourage children to walk
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Walking… cont’d Findings from Technical Report • Current pedestrian facilities within most urban road corridors are generally of a basic nature • Suburbs close to the city centre tend to have better facilities for pedestrians with footpaths on one or both sides of streets • Major pedestrian barriers exist due to the rail line, wide local roads, limited crossing facilities and large number of roundabout intersections • Pedestrian crossings at roundabouts often do not provide crossing facilities on given approaches or align with pedestrian desire lines • Improved pedestrian infrastructure is expected into the future, noting that it will likely occur first in the CBD and Health Services Precinct, and extend out into the surrounding residential areas • The new Disability Inclusion Act 2014 will require Council to prepare a Disability Action Plan
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Walking: Your Feedback? Emerging Strategies… cont’d • Improve permeability and connectivity to and within activity centres and neighbourhoods • Improve crossability of major roads and roundabouts, e.g. Kooringal Road/ Lake Albert Road/ Red Hill Road • Create a safe environment for all road users along Baylis Street and Fitzmaurice Street including improved conditions for active and public transport • Develop a program for safe school access • Increase community knowledge and connectivity of recreational walking trails, e.g. Wiradjuri Walking Track • Prepare a Mobility Access Study in accordance with the requirements of the Disability Inclusion Act to determine paths of travel to key destinations for people using mortised scooters, wheelchairs etc
Is there anything you would like to add?
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