Heading along the road to safer future
MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS, BOOMING POPULATION GROWTH AND BEAUTIFUL OPEN SPACES AND PARKS ARE SOME OF THE FEATURES DEFINING TOWNSVILLE CITY COUNCIL’S DIVISION 2. YOUNGER PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES ARE FLOCKING TO THE FASTEST GROWING DIVISION IN TOWNSVILLE. THE SUBURBS MAY BE A DECENT 12- 15KM FROM THE CBD, BUT THE EXCITING NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE ENSURING LOCALS CAN ENJOY EVERYTHING THEIR INNER CITY COUNTERPARTS DO. TESS IKONOMOU DROVE UP WOOLCOCK ST INTO DEERAGUN AND EVENTUALLY ON TO THE MOUNT LOW PARKWAY AND NORTHSHORE BOULEVARD TO HEAR THE STORIES AND CONCERNS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE DIVISION.
TWO of Townsville’s traffic crash hot spots are going to be reconstructed to help reduce the number of accidents.
The Townsville City Council received funding through the Federal Government’s black spot program, and plans to build a roundabout at the intersection of Mount Low Parkway and Shoalmarra Drive in Mount Low.
The completion date is expected to be at the end of the year to early 2019.
At the first Community Council held in Burdell last month, Mayor Jenny Hill said it was important to fix that particular intersection.
Cr Hill also said a concept plan was under way into the intersection at Geaney Lane and Deeragun Rd in Deeragun as a result from increased traffic. Residents from Deeragun contacted the Townsville Bulletin earlier in the year over safety fears because of the number of collisions.
Julie and Noel Murphy have lived near the Mount Low Parkway intersection for the past 12 months.
Mrs Murphy said she was glad council was taking action to address the issue after a number of nasty smashes.
“Something really needs to happen before someone gets killed,” she said.
“A lady up the road said in the last major accident someone nearly was killed.
“There are so many maniac drivers. It’s unbelievable – they just roar down our street and the police can only do so much.”
Mrs Murphy said the increase in nearby developments presented a danger to children in the surrounding areas and that change had to happen.
“We’ve had so many accidents and near misses because all of the traffic that comes down Shoalmarra … it’s scary, it’s very scary,” she said.
“I don’t know whether it’s inattention on or impatience.”
Division 2’ s Cr Paul Jacob moved to Bushland Beach in 1997 and has experienced the expansion of the suburbs to date.
“North Shore Division 2 is the fastest growing division, it’s got all new facilities and schools, and I think that’s attracting those people to live 12- 15km from the city,” he said.
“When I went out there Bushland Beach was an outlying suburb … you went down Mount Low Parkway and that was the only way you could get to Bushland Beach.
“There was absolutely nothing here, nothing at Kingston Park, nothing at Sanctum.
“It was just off the road because it was a little seaside village, but now it’s one of the big suburbs of Townsville.”
MONDAY: Division 3, including the CBD, Castle Hill and Magnetic Island.