By Derek Schlennstedt
Healesville residents and visitors are invited to share their thoughts and ideas for a re-design of Green Street to make the area more pedestrian friendly.
The re-design proposal, which is now open for consultation until 22 October following an extention, features a number of ideas for the area between the Green Street/Maroondah Highway intersection and Taber Lane.
The options all include a pedestrian plaza on Green Street’s western side and options on how to filter the traffic.
These include a two-way traffic flow through the current north-bound lane, having one-way traffic flow through the north-bound lane or having one-way traffic entering from the Maroondah Highway.
Another alternative put forward includes retaining the existing conditions with separated lanes around the public toilets.
Ryrie Ward Councillor Fiona McAllister encouraged residents to fill out the survey and share any ideas.
“So many of our residents and visitors travel Green Street each day – whether they’re walking to Coronation Park, visiting a cafe or shop or heading to the Healesville Market at the River Street carpark,” she said.
“This is an important public space for the town, so we need to get it right.
“All the contributions we get through our survey will help us decide on the best options for the community, and we’ll take the suggestions into any design that follows.”
Already the design has garnered attention and criticism from Healesville Action Group (HAG) spokesman John Anwin.
He said the changes impeded CFA requirements and could not be supported until that was rectified.
“There is a requirement for unobstructed northbound access across Nicholson Street in Green Street – that must be retained,” he said.
“Healesville Action Group is totally opposed to the provision of a plaza and any changes to existing vehicle movements into or out of Green Street at the Nicholson Street intersection, at least until the future relocation of the CFA station is completed and an alternative provision is made for the safe vehicular movement across and into/out of Nicholson Street for north/south bound traffic.”
For more information, to view concept designs and to fill out the survey, visit yrc.vic.gov.au/greenstredesign.
