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LAUNCESTON could have a dramatic facelift as the council explores reopening some one-way streets to two-way traffic and relocating a number of Metro bus stops.
Community consultation on the proposals, which emerged from the Launceston City Council’s City Heart Project, opened on Tuesday night and will close on August 3.
Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said the project was looking at factors that influenced how the CBD was utilised and ways to make the city a more dynamic and vibrant place.
The changes the council is considering to CBD traffic flow include:
●Charles Street (between York and Paterson streets) from one-way to two-way.
●Paterson Street (between Charles and George Streets) from one-way to two-way.
●George Street (between Paterson and Brisbane Streets) from one-way to two-way.
●St John Street (between Paterson Street and The Mall) buses only travel two-way – all other vehicles one way (south only).
Alderman van Zetten said the changes would take two years to implement and require an investment of about $1.5 million.
He said the council would seek state and federal support should the proposal receive the thumbs-up from the community and the council.
‘‘Launceston’s one-way traffic system has either served Launceston very well, or very poorly, for several decades, depending on your perspective,’’ Alderman van Zetten said.
‘‘What we know about one-way streets is that motorists generally drive faster in one-way traffic than they do in two-way traffic, impacting on pedestrians and cyclists.
‘‘One-way streets are often confusing for visitors and tourists and create more indirect trips from A to B.’’
Alderman van Zetten said there were benefits and drawbacks in both systems.
‘‘There are benefits to two-way streets — traffic moves more slowly which encourages more pedestrians into the city and increases the liveability of a city.’’ he said.
‘‘Navigation is simpler. Travel distances are shorter.
‘‘In the past, traffic engineers believed one-way streets create better flow-through than two-way streets.
‘‘In recent years, this view has been changing. People often want CBD streets to be more pedestrian friendly, rather than have a focus on maximising the vehicle capacity of inner city streets.’’
Alderman van Zetten said the council also wanted public comment on plans to upgrade some bus stops and relocate others.
The relocations would see one bus stop moved from outside Allgoods in York Street to Patterson Street and from the Tatler Arcade in St John Street to near St Andrew’s Church.
The City Heart Project was initiated by the Greater Launceston Plan, which drew on the 2011 Gehl report.
Comment on the project can be made at yourvoiceyourlaunceston.com.au