Steps to make it easier for people to move around Coffs Harbour under their own steam are outlined in a comprehensive new 10-year plan.
It’s a big picture view to improve opportunities for pedestrians, bike riders, and the growing wave of users of electric mobility devices such as e-bikes.
City of Coffs Harbour Council has adopted the Active Transport Plan, which received almost 200 submissions when the draft went on public exhibition.
“The feedback was generally supportive of the plan; however, concerns were raised about safety for walkers and cyclists, and a desire for better lighting along active transport routes,” Mayor Nikki Williams said.
“The City has taken that on board and will look to audit and improve the lighting on our strategic paths.”
“There’s also the opportunity to use off-road paths – like creek corridor networks – when delivering active transport projects.”
The Active Transport Plan targets an investment on infrastructure between $600,000 to $1.5 million per annum, which equates to $6 million to $15 million over the next 10 years. This investment will come from a number of sources, including the City’s capital works budget, developer contributions, targeted NSW Government grant funding, and complementary infrastructure to works projects, such as road reconstructions and sporting field upgrades.
“To put this in context, Copenhagen – regarded as the world’s best city for bike riding – has spent about $30 per person per year for the past decade on active transport infrastructure. We are significantly increasing our commitment, with planned investment rising to around $17 per person per year over the next 10 years,” City Planning and Communities Director Ian Fitzgibbon said.
The City’s plan has three key focus areas:
- Make it easier, safer, and fun for kids to walk and ride to school with new active transport links and associated infrastructure (e.g., safer crossings)
- Deliver connected and continuous strategic paths to link centres, precincts and places
- Address missing active transport links for key walking corridors and bike paths located along busy roads with high speeds.
“Filling in the gaps in our existing network of key active transport routes – particularly on busy roads and intersections – is one of our core objectives,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
High priorities in the missing links program include:
- Arthur Street, Park Beach (under construction)
- Linden Avenue, Toormina/Boambee East
- Shephards Lane, West Coffs Harbour
- Lyons Road, Sawtell
- Crossings on Toormina Road, Toormina (under construction)
- Crossings on Albany Street, Coffs Harbour
- Safer crossings on Harbour Drive/Hogbin intersection
- Safer crossings on Sawtell Road/Hogbin Drive intersection.
Mayor Williams said the plan identifies a number of “quick wins” to improve safety for bike riders.
“Line marking the outer edge of vehicle travel lanes on key routes can encourage drivers to keep to the middle of the road, creating a clear space for riders,” she said.
“We want to improve the network so people have the option to walk or ride for those shorter trips to access the shops, places of education or work, and health or aged care services.”
Another key pillar of the plan will see the City partner with schools, as statewide, only one-in-seven children walk or ride to school today compared to three-in-four 40 years ago.
“A number of submissions during the public exhibition period came from the St John Paul College and Bishop Druitt school communities. The City will work with them and other schools to develop School Safe Access Plans in accordance with the prioritisation process for these,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“We are already piloting School Safe Access Plans for Coffs Harbour Public and St Augustine’s and we’ll look to progressively roll these out to other institutions.”
While the Active Transport Plan is comprehensive and ambitious, it is also long-term as the scope of the projects will require substantial external funding.
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