Tweed Shire Council has responded promptly to concerned resident Wayne Peters, by fast-tracking the erection of safety signage at the northern end of Tierney Terrace on Sexton Hill (Banora Point).
Mr Peters said the new sign was expected to be raised within four weeks and would warn motorists using Tierney Terrace of pedestrians or cyclists attempting to cross the busy intersection with the Pacific Highway.
“It’s a great start,” Mr Peters said.
Located on Sexton Hill, Tierney Terrace meets the constant flow of the north bound vehicles using the Pacific Highway to access Banora Point and now South Tweed. Entering this small intersection is a driveway from a small Shopping Centre and a private resident.
A pedestrian/cyclist pathway running parallel to the Pacific Highway lanes adds to this traffic nexus point.
Situated at the northern end of Tierney Terrace and where it meets with the Pacific Highway is a Tweed Council Bus Shelter, which significantly obstructs visibility for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists attempting to see through it.
Mr Peters said he raised concerns about the Bus Shelter creating a traffic and pedestrian/cyclist visual ‘Blind Spot’ at the intersection. He believes that this dangerous visual obstruction will cause serious injury or death to some future unlucky soul attempting to cross the intersection on a bicycle or on foot.
Mr Peters noted that the northern face of the Bus Shelter commissioned by Tweed Council did not have any signage to warn pedestrians or cyclists of a road intersection.
“Users of the pathway from the north are not forewarned about the intersection/road-crossing and cyclists are frequently seen rolling down the hill with no fore-warning that they are about to ride onto an active intersection or in front of oncoming vehicles,” he said.
“The Intersection contains no Stop signs, no Give Way signs, no End of Pedestrian/Cycleway signs, nothing.
“The Bus Shelter obstructing full visibility of the northern pedestrian /cyclist pathway does not have any warning to motorists exiting the Shopping Centre car park or using Tierney Terrace, either. Many cyclists have cheated fate by narrowly escaping possible collisions with motorists as they raced across what they falsely understood to be a cyclist pathway.
“There needs to be cyclist /pedestrian directions or guidance arrows painted on the footpath or the bus shelter itself to remove them from the risk of motor vehicles.”
He said he wasn’t asking for an expensive fix to the issue – just for Tweed Council or the RTA – to put up some highly visible signage at this traffic nexus to prevent any future users of the busy location in harming themselves or others when crossing the northern end of Tierney Terrace.
“If a few more signs and a can of paint can save local school kids from riding out in front of cars using Tierney Terrace or coming out of the shopping centre on Sexton Hill, then this would be a great preventative outcome for the RTA, Tweed Valley Council and the community.”
