A SCOPING study looking at Hereford Street has recommended an additional two traffic lanes and flood proof bridge be built in the area.
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Councillor Warren Aubin, from Bathurst Regional Council's Traffic Committee said Hereford Street could barely support current, let alone future traffic movements, saying "work needs to start yesterday."
Cr Aubin said the issue has been on his radar for some time, and said the time has come for it to be addressed.
Cr Aubin said the consult scoping study covered Hereford and Gilmour streets, as well as other areas and will be before council soon. He said the major thing to come out of the report was Hereford Street, with a recommendation it is turned into four lanes of traffic, feeding into a new flood proof bridge.
There is also a recommendation a slip lane be constructed at the Kelso end of Hereford Street as traffic approaches the roundabout, something he said was a great idea.
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"I was on Hereford Street the other day there were 12 cars in front of me and 11 were turning left, a large percentage of the traffic go left," he said.
He said what will happen at the Stanley and George streets roundabout "is still part of the discussion".
He described the Stanley Street intersection as the "Achilles heel of the whole thing."
"There were a few things suggested for the intersection, for example, a left turn only at both ends of Stanley Street," he said.
Cr Aubin said the Durham and George streets intersection had also come under scrutiny.
"What we are concerned about is if we put a median strip in George Street outside KFC (preventing right hand turns into KFC), where will people be doing a U turn?
"Do we take the strip down to the roundabout, but if we do that now, will the roundabout still be there in the future?"
While there are still a few unanswered questions, he said it was fantastic to see Hereford Street finally being considered.
"It's long overdue," he said adding traffic on Hereford Street is akin to Sydney traffic at some points during the day.
He said had the study scope not been finalised, it would be remiss of him and other Councillors to give any further developments in the Kelso area the go ahead.
"This has to be done, and it has to be done yesterday.
"At least now we know it's in the planning, and no longer just talk," he said.