Expensive roundabout will cause delays

When I first read about council's plan for a roundabout at the Maitland Bay Dve and Picnic Pde intersection, I thought: What a waste of money!

Now that more information has become available, we can all see just how this is to be wasted.

My first question would be: How can council have an estimated cost of $7M when they don't have a design?

Clever lads on our council or do they have a crystal ball?

My biggest concern however is: Who will benefit from its construction?

We are informed that 19,000 vehicles use the intersection per day.

We have not been given a breakdown of where those cars are coming from and going to.

I would be prepared to bet that the vast majority in the morning are coming from the Rip Bridge proceeding to Woy Woy and beyond and in the evening are going back over the bridge.

At present, these motorists have an uninterrupted run.

The big winners will be those turning right from Picnic Parade to go over the bridge.

But how many cars are actually doing this in peak hour?

Is it only a few hundred or more.

During the day any delay is only for a few seconds.

In the evening, when the residents of Ettalong are returning home they just make a left turn.

This could be simplified by the addition of a left turning lane which could easily be achieved if the light pole was re-located.

I believe that if/when constructed every user of the roundabout will be affected, while at present it is only a small minority.

Email, 4 Dec 2019

Laurie Powell, Woy Woy