CONTROVERSY about the newly upgraded Short Street bridge in Broadford is causing a stir among community members.
The concerns relate to the upgraded bridge’s footpath alongside the road which is without safety barriers, causing stress for pedestrians including school children, who use the bridge to cross over the tracks.
It’s not the first time this bridge has been campaigned against for the lack of safety barriers, with some campaigns from the Broadford Residents Action Group (BRAG) and Mitchell Shire Council dating back to the early 2000s.
Barriers were once installed, but with the major renovations of the bridge thanks to the Inland Rail project, the barriers were completely stripped and haven’t returned.
The Department of Transport (DTP) ticked off on the project’s safety and reportedly feel the barriers would hinder the line of sight for motorists, identifying the southern side of the bridge as a safer walking option.
On the southern side of the bridge, there is a pedestrian path situated behind a concrete barrier which is far more safe for pedestrians to walk over mounting a case of argument that people can cross the road and use the other pathway.
But BRAG believe differently, despite what the DTP think, saying people will use the pathway next to the road regardless, with Chairman Brian O’Dwyer claiming it’s still dangerous.
“The old fence that was initially installed years ago on the old bridge was battered by cars, so it’s definitely important to have again,” he said.
But Inland Rail argue that the Northern side has a non-mountable curb and that a barrier would hinder the sight of cars turning onto Short Street from Rupert Street, the street positioned on the south side of Broadford, just after the bridge.
The Review gathered comments from an Inland Rail spokesperson who said the following:
“The approved design for the bridge does not include a fence on the north side between the road and pedestrian path as it would restrict sightlines and cause an unacceptable hazard for road users.
“Alternative access is provided for pedestrians via a shared user path on the opposite side of the Short Street bridge which is separated from vehicle traffic by a safety barrier.”
Additionally, there is a one-metre-wide road shoulder included between the pedestrian path and the traffic lane as well as a 150mm non-mountable curb between the pedestrian path and the traffic lane.
The overall argument must factor in whether people can be motivated enough to walk across the road to the safe pathway to prioritise their safety, including school children on their way to and from school.
A petition has been started by the Broadford community to help get more voices heard about their concerns of the bridge.
