Council Members Fight for Safer Community Hub
Multiple Council Members are in the process of lobbying the Department of Infrastructure and Transport for funding to assist in the construction of a new pedestrian refuge, which would be located on Kensington Road outside the Wattle Park Shopping Centre.
This high-density foot traffic area is located on a 60 km/h road which is also home to a nearby kindergarten and grassed reserve space. The stretch of road is frequently used by trucks and is a key thoroughfare for multiple bus routes.
Burnside Ward Councillors Mike Daws and Jenny Turnbull and Kensington Gardens & Magill Ward Councillor Jo Harvey have lobbied for this project on behalf of their communities, with the aim to have this funding approved to increase safety and accessibility for the many residents who cross this road every day.
‘This area of Burnside is one of the busiest in the city,’ said Cr Daws. ‘A pedestrian refuge on Kensington Road in close proximity to the Wattle Park Shopping Centre and the local kindergarten will significantly raise the safety levels for all ages as they cross Kensington Road at all times of the day.’
Kensington Road acts as a border between the Burnside and Kensington Gardens & Magill Wards and is managed by the State Government as a key arterial road, running from Wattle Park in the east to Kent Town in the west.
Cr Harvey reinforced the need for support from the State Government. ‘Hopefully the State Government recognises the need to support our community with a safe refuge crossing, which is desperately needed here on busy Kensington Road. To get this recognised as a high-risk area is an essential step forward in safety.’