16 January 2012

Johnson drive pedestrian crossing

| mddawson
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Anyone know why a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing is being installed almost directly on top an underpass on Johnson Drive between Calwell and Isabella Plains?


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As the Chair of South East Tuggeranong Residents Association, and one of many who fought for a Master Plan for the suburb of Calwell, I am appalled at the govts inaction regarding a pedestrian crossing and bridge from Clift Cres to the playing fields, thus allowing kids to safely cross Johnson Drive and the playing fields to get to school. Have asked TCCS and Roads ACT and no one wants to answer. If you or your kids are affected, I would love to hear from you.
Regards to all.

I am guessing you mean the crossing and works between Drakeford Drive and Ellerston Ave/Outrim Ave round-a-bouts, and not between Calwell and Tuggeranong Homestead.

I think its a crazy idea to place traffic control lights between round-a-bouts whether pedestrian or not. potentially causing queuing across two round-a-bouts, thats just awesome.

Aside from that, Why does’nt the government make “permanent” fixtures/crossings that good ?

TAMSMediaRoom said :

The underpass will be closed while the Johnson Drive bridge is being strengthened. A temporary pedestrian crossing will be installed for the duration of the works.

What? THAT crossing’s temporary? The thing looks bigger than Ben Hur! TAMS must have an enormous surplus this year; could you resurface my driveway while you’re splashing money about?

GottaLoveCanberra12:15 am 17 Jan 12

Some times the Govt is damned if they do and damned if they don’t. If these lights didn’t go up how long would it be before we all see a post/news item lamenting the closure of the cycle/foot path and how it’s inconveniencing Canberrans?

As for the bridge, it’s no doubt been there a while and an inspection has probably identified the need for maintenance, thus we are getting it. Or should we wait until it falls down?

Seems a bit over the top to put in fully blown lights etc. What about generator powered lights as used at roadworks all over the country? How long is this going to take? And then do they remove all of that paraphenalia? It’s a worry that the bridge needs strengthening and that they have closed it to pedestrian traffic, but will let people and cars travel ver it. Hopefully it’s not desperate at this stage as they are taking an age what with the Xmas break etc.

TAMSMediaRoom4:54 pm 16 Jan 12

The underpass will be closed while the Johnson Drive bridge is being strengthened. A temporary pedestrian crossing will be installed for the duration of the works.

It will be annoying to have the lights there.

Re Johnson Drive, I have often wondered why it is so poorly lit at night.

The trouble is, if they are temporary lights that will work during peak hour afternoon traffic, then what will happen is that all the traffic coming down Johnson Drive that currently backs up almost to the roundabout at the end of Outtrim will be forced to now back up over the roundabout creating the same scenario that happens at the Erindale roundabout every morning.

It seems like a pretty strange thing to do whatever the reason.

Beat me to it, I was going to take a photo tomorrow & ask the same thing.

It seems silly as the lights would be no more than 20m east of the current underpass.

@cyla – I was thinking that too but the only time it is busy there is in the afternoon when the Drakeford traffic slows up the Johnson traffic (this does not happen in the morning) but it seems senseless as the lights are so close to the roundabout of Outtrim Ave that all the vehicles have to que across the intersection.

BTW, the arrow is in the wrong place, the actual location of the new lights is between the two roundabouts of Drakeford Drive and Outtrim/Ellerston Avenues.

There aren’t enough pedestrians around there lol
I thought it was one of those temporary lights like down at tuggeranong which operate during peak times.

It might have something to do with the underpass being closed temporarily for repairs/upgrades:
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/238728/Johnson_Drive_Calwell_-_Richardson_Footpath.pdf

I have been wondering this too.
I didn’t think crime was that bad in calwell that it was too dangerous to go down the underpass.

The fact they have erected a fenced area, with a shiping container for lock up storage in the area beside the road there suggests to me they are doing more than simply putting in a set of lights. What that may be, i’m still not sure about though

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