Extra turns a bid to ease traffic troubles
NEW right-turn and U-turn lanes are being built into traffic lights on Sheridan St in a bid to ease Cairns City’s mounting traffic issues.
But a Cairns town planner says it will do little to solve the city’s congestion issues.
The Sheridan and Aplin streets and Sheridan and Shields streets works are the latest in a number of lane additions along Sheridan, Spence, Grafton and Lake streets.
A Cairns Regional Council spokeswoman said the new lanes were designed to simplify commuting into the CBD.
“The intersection upgrades are part of an ongoing program in the CBD to enhance traffic flow, make it easier for drivers looking for parking and increase safety,” she said.
“The works are funded under council’s capital works program. Further locations will be considered as budget becomes available.”
But McPeake Town Planning owner James McPeake said it was unlikely the new lanes would do much to solve the city’s traffic woes.
“U-turn lanes are a good idea, because it helps you to not have to go to the next block to turn around, but adding more right-turn lanes won’t help,” he said.
“The only thing that will change congestion in the city is having less cars on the road.
“U-turn lanes will help in the short term, but the only way you can have that is by having a functioning public transport system.”
Heather Forster said she was a little more optimistic about the new lanes.
Ms Forster lives in Clifton Beach but drives into town once a week to get her groceries from Rusty’s.
She said she regularly used the U-turn facilities at the southern end of Sheridan St.
“I don’t know if it’ll be any safer, but it’ll be easier to find a carpark with U-turn lanes so you don’t have to go all the way up to the lights,” she said.
“It’ll also free up the space you would take up at the lights for another car to go through the lights.”
But she said the only real way to get a good carpark in the city was to get in before the crowds.
The roadworks are being conducted on the corner of Sheridan and Shields streets and will continue on the corner of Sheridan and Aplin streets until the end of September. editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost