RMS: Peak Hour traffic relief coming for Frenchs Forest
TRAFFIC authorities and peninsula MPs were yesterday spruiking decreased traffic volumes in Frenchs Forest after a series of emergency meetings.
Manly
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TRAFFIC authorities and peninsula MPs were yesterday spruiking decreased traffic volumes in Frenchs Forest after a series of emergency meetings.
It comes after a horror week for residents, who endured more than an hour’s extension on their commutes after a Roads and Maritime Services decision to make Frenchs Forest and Naree roads one-way.
“All reports I have had (on Friday) morning indicate the traffic was a lot better,” Wakehurst MP Brad Hazzard said.
“Certainly, for me, getting from Allambie Heights to the city took 35 minutes at 7am, which was amazing.”
However, residents were complaining of gridlock, with a video sent to the Manly Daily showing bumper-to-bumper traffic in a tiny, single lane backstreet.
Gayle McNaught shot the video in Bentley St and said streets of similar width were also loaded with cars during the Thursday afternoon peak.
In an email to Davidson state MP Jonathan O’Dea and Mackellar federal MP Jason Falinski she wrote: “This traffic is completely unacceptable for a tiny backstreet. If my child had an asthma attack, we could not get an ambulance in or out. ”
The works are being undertaken to widen the road and create a hospital entry and will take 10 months.
Mr Hazzard said meetings were ongoing and would ensure a smoother traffic flow.
However, he urged motorists to leave before or after the morning peak to help students trying to get to HSC exams from Monday.
Mr O’Dea said traffic had eased since Tuesday.
“There was a good meeting on Thursday and a list of potential measures was compiled, Some of those look as though they are going to be implemented very quickly,” he said.
“Others will be further investigated to prevent any further unintended consequences.”
A spokeswoman for the RMS said it had listened to the community and was rolling out a range of traffic improvement measures.
“Traffic delays in the area were initially longer than expected at the start of the week and RMS is working hard to ease congestion for the thousands of motorists,” she said.
A bus bay extension would be fast-tracked on Forest Way to provide more room for and kiss-and-ride facilities for The Forest High.
“The kerbside lane on Forest Way, heading towards Warringah Rd, will be converted to a left turn-only lane with buses excepted and traffic information will be provided on all permanent electronic message signs,” she said.
“Work will also be carried out to install CCTV cameras at key intersections in the area to provide Transport Management Centre with better visibility of the roads to improve the ability to respond to changes in traffic conditions and demand in real time.”