New crossing for Elizabeth Mitchell Drive

The NSW RTA has approved AlburyCity plans for a school children's crossing on Thurgoona's Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, where a child was injured recently.

The crossing, for children attending Thurgoona's Border Christian College, will be completed within the next two weeks.

AlburyCity's Director, Community and Recreation, James Jenkins, said Council had allocated funding for the Elizabeth Mitchell Drive crossing in its 2009-2010 budget.

"Now that the RTA has approved plans and forwarded a schedule of works, and we have entered the new financial year, we can start work straight away," he said.

Mr Jenkins said there had been a great deal of confusion and misinformation in regard to another school children's crossing near Border Christian College, which could not be reinstated because of serious safety issues.

The crossing, on Ava Ave, was removed during the construction of a roundabout, where Ava Ave meets Elizabeth Mitchell Drive.

Once the roundabout had been constructed, Border Christian College asked AlburyCity to reinstate the crossing and its flag posts.

AlburyCity had initially expected this to be possible. However, at an inspection of the site by AlburyCity's Roads Safety Officer, an RTA Safety Around Schools Officer and the school principal, it was agreed that the old crossing point was too close to the new roundabout and was no longer safe.

"AlburyCity understands that parents are frustrated that we have not been able to reinstate the original crossing, but unfortunately, it is not a simple matter of just reinstating the posts. It was never an option, because it would have breached safety standards and been far too dangerous for students to cross at that location."

AlburyCity explored all other options for a school children's crossing along Ava Ave, but none were viable because of the location of the school's bus zone.

That however, changed about two weeks ago, when the school moved the bus zone from Ava Ave and changed this section of the road to allow general car parking.

"Now that the bus zone has moved, AlburyCity has been able to revisit the issue," Mr Jenkins said.

"We are now drawing up plans for a new safe crossing point on Ava Ave, which we will put to the school for comment. If the school approves these plans, they will be forwarded to the Local Traffic Committee meeting in August for the next stage of approval that is required."

In the meantime, AlburyCity will extend the footpath on the south side of Ava Ave, in anticipation of the new crossing being approved.