The Footpath Follies
At the Kettering Community Association (Inc) meeting of 7 July the notion of locating the future footpath on the northern (waterfront) side of Ferry Road was discussed. The Precinct Plan recommended that a pedestrian footpath, something of an innovation for Kettering, be constructed on the southern (residential) side of the road. Some bright spark decided to question the wisdom of the authors of the Precinct Plan and hence triggered the discussion. Prior to the KCA meeting an on-line poll was conducted to gauge public sentiment. A total of 59 votes were registered between 29 June and 7 July. 63% were in favour of the southside, 34% were in favour of the northside and the rest (3%) said they had "had it up to here with Ferry Road and they couldn't care less". With this sort of background you could be forgiven for thinking the odds of changing the status quo were high. They were. The majority of the members at the meeting favoured the southside option. The heretic, suitably attired in kevlar vest, set out his case. Discussion ensued but rapidly descended into a detailed assessment, unilluminated by any form of plan or drawing, of the engineering viability of the two options. At this point the Chair blew the whistle declaring "We are just going round in circles, this is a waste of time and we should just tell DIER to get on with it". No one demurred and the meeting moved on to an account of the unquestionable merits of a heat-pump hot water system installed by one of the members. The foregoing is my recollection of proceedings. Perhaps I was distracted, by the constriction of the kevlar vest, as the minutes of the meeting paint a more positive outcome:The members discussed the pros and cons of north or south – the majority thought there should be a footpath on both sides like most roads (especially a main road as Ferry Road is).An undeniably admirable, but perhaps unrealistic, aspiration given DIER's cast-iron resolve to avoid spending a single cent on anything not recommended in the Precinct Plan. Recommendations from the Precinct Plan are set out below with an indication of the ones that have survived and the ones that haven't. [caption id="attachment_1511" align="aligncenter" width="397" caption="What's in and what's out"]
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There's nothing for it now but to wait for the next set of detailed plans to emerge from DIER. Its clear that many residents of Kettering are suffering Ferry Road Fatigue and its time to move on from campaigning for action to watching the implementation unfold.
[caption id="attachment_1487" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A little something to ponder"]
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Minister re-affirms commitment to fund Ferry Road fix
Minister for Infrastructure, David O'Byrne, speaking in parliament today:The lifeblood of local communities including the Arthur Highway, Bass Highway, Huon Highway, Tasman Highway, West Tamar Highway, Bell Bay Main Road, Esk Main Road, Ferry Road at Kettering, Highland Lakes Road, Mud Walls Road, Ridgley Main Road, Richmond link road and the Rokeby Main Road. All these roads will receive upgrades under the Community Roads Package, along with upgrades on the Murchison Highway, which is further funded under the West Coast Roads Program. Through this package we are continuing to invest in regional communities, local jobs and industries and continuing to stand by our commitments to invest in vital community infrastructure.
North or South – Polls apart
One of the unwritten laws of politics is that you never initiate a review or an inquiry unless you are pretty sure of the outcome. I guess the same could be said of on-line polls. When I set up the latest poll (see top of sidebar) to test support for the forthcoming pedestrian footpath being on the north or south side of the road I expected the majority would be in favour of the northern option. Oh well - you can't win 'em all. I put an argument for a northern footpath in my written submission in response to the draft Precinct Plan and I also raised it in my response to DIER's recent public consultation on the options for the Ferry Road upgrade. Here's what I had to say in the latter . . .Option 1 will provide a substantial amount of parking at non-peak times. The parking will be on the north side of the road but the pedestrian footpath is on the south side of the road. Does this make sense? Where do passengers from cars go when they park? Negotiate a slippery gravel verge as at present? It may be possible to rationalise the number of entrances to licenses/leases on the north side but it isn’t possible to rationalise residential driveways on the south side. It’s going to be a pretty bumpy walk for pedestrians who will be confronted by two kerbs and an angled driveway to traverse every 30 - 40 meters or so. The only reason I supported the Precinct Plan recommendation for a southern footpath is that it would improve the appearance of the road and remove the weed-infested and muddy open stormwater/effluent drain. Otherwise, locating the footpath on the southern side is short-sighted and will be used as an excuse for delaying work (most likely fro ever) on a foreshore walk. Most people (especially tourists) would prefer to walk along the waterfront. The (Precinct Plan) consultant’s observation from the community consultation meeting (Precinct Plan para 3.2 page 5) that “The preference is for the path to be located on the southern side of the road” does not accord with my notes from that meeting. If the southern pavement proceeds then a formal link to a foreshore walk must be established at around the south-eastern entry to Oyster Cove Marina to provide access through the marina to the Council endorsed Kettering Oval Track.The latest poll results suggest I was wrong about the "most people would prefer" bit in relation to the northern footpath. It seems safe to assume that DIER's proposed "3-lane" Option 1 is what will be implemented. Under this option the north lane along almost the entire length of the road will be available parking for a large percentage of the year. Assessment of whether the south side or the north side or south side is better needs to be made in that context. Below are some reasons I think the north-side is preferable:
- All the parking will be on the north-side of the road. It seems sensible to locate the footpath adjacent to the parking not on the other side of the road where there is no parking.
- Residents who plan to walk somewhere will either be heading to the "CBD", one of the marinas or the Mermaid Café. All those destinations are on the northern side of the road so they will have to cross the road somewhere. Why not immediately at their driveway entrance?
- The $8 million the government has promised to fix Ferry Road will be the last significant funding that we see for many more years. The long anticipated foreshore walkway (don't mention the boardwalk) looks to be as far away as ever. A northern-side footpath at least gets pedestrians nearer to the waterfront, provides a marina-to-marina link and will facilitate linkages to those areas of the waterfront which eventually have pedestrian access.
- When the third lane is being used for ferry queuing then passenger will be able to alight in safety and wander along to the Café or Ferry Road Store (assuming it re-opens one day).
- There are more public facilities/attractions on the north side.
- Once the Oyster Cove marina slipway/hardstand is relocated a northern footpath will provide direct access to a safe path through the marina, across the bridge and link to the Kettering Oval track and Community Hall.
- There will be less driveways to negotiate - assuming the rationalisation of entries to waterfront leases/licenses occurs in line with the Precinct Plan recommendations.
Estimates Committee A Hansard 29 June 2011
Rene Hidding quizzes the minister for Infrastructure and his Department Head on infrastructure spending . . . .Mr HIDDING - Ferry Road, Kettering? Mr O'BYRNE - We have the wastewater treatment plan - $1.4 million to be spent this year, $3.1 million the following year and $2.7 the following year. Mr HIDDING - Are you on track? Did you spent(sic) $680,000 this year? No, you did not. Mr McILFATRICK - The priority this year was to get that water treatment plant under way and that involved a fair bit of work with the local developer - a joint venture with that local developer who pulled the sewerage plant right away from the waterfront. Mr HIDDING - So $1.45 million this year? Mr McILFATRICK - Yes. Mr HIDDING - That is the plan to spend that? Mr McILFATRICK - We hope to.We hope the money to be spent this coming financial year not only covers the "Waste Water Treatment Plant You Get When You're Not Getting a Reticulated Sewerage System as Recommended in the Precinct Plan" but also goes towards completing the plans for the Ferry Road Upgrade so that construction can commence in 2012/2013. After all, as the Minister is recorded in Hansard as saying on 9 March . . .
Another important project that we have worked closely with the community on to develop a shared solution is our $8 million commitment for the upgrade of Ferry Road in Kettering. The commitment includes provision of a wastewater treatment plant for the ferry terminal, which is expected to be completed in April of this year, the provision of a two-lane road with a footpath and the accommodation of queuing traffic that extends beyond the marshalling area onto the road. Just last week I met with the Kettering Community Association to update them on progress and to reaffirm our commitment to this important project. This meeting reaffirmed to me the importance and value of communication with and working with our communities to understand their needs and how we can address them through our road infrastructure.
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