Community & Business
14 April, 2021
Safety revamp set for Byrnes Street
MAREEBA residents have had their voices heard after TMR allocated money out of a $17.27 million program to upgrade five pedestrian crossings in Byrnes Street.
MAREEBA residents have had their voices heard after TMR allocated money out of a $17.27 million program to upgrade five pedestrian crossings in Byrnes Street.
The funding comes after outcries of pedestrian safety following several traffic incidents on pedestrian crossings in Byrnes Street, specifically the crossing outside of the Post Office Centre.
This crossing will be undergoing the most important upgrade of the five crossings with signals being installed to inform motorists of pedestrians crossing.
Mareeba Shire Council Deputy Mayor and Traffic Advisory Committee Chair Kevin Davies said that TMR has delivered on what was needed.
“We are happy with any money that is going to be spent in Mareeba for upgrades for our community and their safety,” he said.
“We have been given what we asked for plus a little more.
“They have listen to us and delivered.”
The crossings near ANZ and Hort Street will be raised and upgraded to wombat crossings while the existing zebra crossing near Atherton Street will also be replaced with a wombat crossing.
A new wombat crossing will also be installed in the north end of the town near the roundabout and Lloyd Street.
Wombat crossings are small raised crossings roughly the size of a zebra crossing, however unlike zebra crossings pedestrians give way to traffic.
Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said these upgrades will improve pedestrian safety whilst crossing the road.
“I was approached by concerned community members about pedestrian safety on Byrnes Street,” she said.
“After raising these concerns with the Minister for Transport and Main Roads it was agreed that these crossings would be upgraded.”
In addition to the pedestrian crossing upgrades four vehicle activated smiley face signs will be installed on the roads heading into Mareeba, these signs are aiming to make drivers actively aware of their speed and encourage them to slow down.
Works for the upgrades will begin at the end of April and are set to finish mid-2021, weather permitting.
