Crossing flooding not a major problem
Your report in August 9 edition of the site inspection at the pedestrian crossing on West St, Umina, made interesting reading.
Mr Cragg spoke of a small local flooding problem causing the flooding of Coopers on two occasions.
Mr Wales has it a huge drainage problem, with several shops flooded regularly and Coopers three times.
Mr Cragg has it almost right, with his number of shops and times flooded, but they are both wrong as to the cause of the floodings.
It is not the raised crossing causing the flooding of Coopers.
Blocked drains in Coopers Lane and inadequate and poorly serviced filter boxes set in the footpath at the entrance to the lane are the cause - not a major problem to correct.
Mr Wales has concerns with cars backing up to the service station.
It is caused mainly by cars making a right turn into West St not able to do so by cars stopped on the Keep Clear section of the road and thereby blocking all eastbound traffic.
To overcome this there are several options:
*
Remove two parking spots kerbside, adjacent to the phone booths and florist shop, to allow cars to pass those stopped in middle of road.
* No right turn into South St with cars going on to Trafalgar Ave to return and make a left turn into South St.
* Extend Keep Clear zone over full width of road so cars turning right can only do so if the way is clear. Otherwise go straight on to use option two.
Any reluctance to give up parking spots would be nonsense considering the benefits to be gained. Claims of too few spots being available can be addressed by policing cars parked in the same one hour parks all day.
Space does not permit me to comment on Mr Wales' remarks re browns cows (read aged and infirm) suffice to say I think he is referring to those who wait until the sprightly ones stop the traffic and follow them across.
Fix the drains and control the traffic with pedestrian-actuated traffic signals as requested of the RTA.
Do not downgrade this crossing by removing the raised threshold.
Dean Hartigan, Umina