THE way motorists turn in and out of KFC is expected to change in the coming weeks as Bathurst Regional Council works to implement a temporary measure to ease traffic woes.
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Councillor Warren Aubin said a temporary traffic island will be installed on George Street to prevent north-bound vehicles from turning right into KFC.
It will also force vehicles to turn left out of KFC.
He said the issues at the intersection have only gotten worse over time.
"The people going down George Street towards Kelso turning into KFC, that causes mass chaos because they try to get across two lanes of traffic to get in there, and then the place banks up inside, the drive-through banks up and comes out to the road, people are stopped on the road to try to turn in," he said.
"It's mainly to stop the right turn in and the right turn coming out, that also causes a bit of chaos because people can't see what's coming down from the left from the highway if there's cars banked up at the lights."
Cr Aubin said he suggested the temporary traffic island at council's last Traffic Committee meeting, as he felt the issue had to be addressed.
The idea was considered feasible and council's director of Engineering Services, Darren Sturgiss, is now looking for a budget to make it possible.
Council is not willing to commit to a permanent solution at this time, as it is waiting on the results of a study on George and Hereford streets, which is nearing completion.
"I'm just sick of that intersection. Something needs to be done as a temporary fix," Cr Aubin said.
"We can't do anything [permanent] yet until the results of that study are out, otherwise if we do anything, like putting fences down the middle or anything, the whole structure of that road could change due to that study.
"You can't go ahead and spend a lot of money on it and then tear it all down."
He expects the temporary measures could be installed within the next few weeks.
The future of the intersection will be guided by the results of the study, and Cr Aubin said that could including putting in an additional lane on George Street.
He is not sure when the study will be finalised, but he is hoping it will be fast-tracked.
"I asked the director to fast-track it, if he could please get on the phone to the contractors and get them to actually fast-track it, because we need that done so that we can plan what we are doing," Cr Aubin said.
"This problem is not going away, it's only getting worse with more housing being built out in Kelso."
He has also heard that a request has been made to put an exit driveway from KFC onto the highway.
"That would be another good move if we can get that happening," Cr Aubin said.
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