Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) installed mid-block pedestrian lights across the Great Western Highway north of Leichhardt Street, Blackheath. The upgrade has improved pedestrian safety by replacing the existing zebra crossing with traffic lights.

This $500,000 project was fully funded by the NSW Government.

Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) investigated two options to upgrade the pedestrian crossing and announced its decision to proceed with mid-block lights on 31 May 2010. Construction started in early June 2010, and was completed in July 2010.

Landscaping and replacement of the five plane trees was completed in January 2011.  This work was funded by Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) and carried out by the Blue Mountains City Council.

Background

On 23 May 2006 the Minister for Roads announced a state-wide program to upgrade pedestrian crossings across multi-lane roads. The zebra crossing on the Great Western Highway north of Leichhardt Street, Blackheath was identified as one of 59 priority crossings needing an upgrade to improve pedestrian safety.

Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) developed a proposal to replace the existing zebra crossing with traffic lights with full pedestrian facilities at the intersection of the Great Western Highway and Leichhardt Street, Blackheath.

A 2007 community update provided information about the proposed design. Construction was halted in November 2008 following community concern about the removal of five mature trees next to the Great Western Highway in Blackheath.

Community consultation

A community meeting on 22 December 2008 discussed both the Leichhardt Street proposal as well as other traffic management issues in Blackheath.

Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) met with representatives from local community groups to better understand their concerns about the proposal. These groups include the Blackheath Chamber of Commerce, Blackheath Streetscape Committee, Blackheath Neighbourhood Centre, Blackheath Highway Action Group, Blackheath Public School principal and school council, and the NSW Department of Education and Training. Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) also held discussions with Blue Mountains City Council about the replacement of the trees that were removed and the landscaping of this area, as well as about a range of traffic issues in and around Blackheath.

Following community feedback, a second option was developed for mid-block lights just north of the existing zebra crossing. Community feedback was invited on both options in a community update and information sessions in June 2009.

Option 1 was the original proposal to install traffic lights at the intersection of the Great Western Highway and Leichhardt Street. Community feedback and discussions with Blue Mountains City Council modified this option slightly.

Option 2 was a new proposal to install pedestrian lights, similar to those near Blackheath railway station, across the Great Western Highway.

Community information sessions were held in Blackheath on Saturday 20 June 2009 and Saturday 27 June 2009. Community feedback on the two options was requested by 10 July 2009.

All community comments were taken into account as part of the approval process. The community issues raised are summarised in a community consultation report.

For more information

For further information on the pedestrian crossing upgrade, please contact James Suprain on (02) 8849 2294 or email Blackheath@rta.nsw.gov.au.