The sight of big rigs snaking along Auburn Street could be a much rarer event if council talks bear fruit.
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Mayor Bob Kirk says the signs are positive in efforts to reclaim ‘ownership’ of Goulburn’s main street. The council wants to declassify Auburn Street as a State road and afford this status to Sloane Street, which is classed as a regional road.
It would divert more heavy vehicles along that thoroughfare. While many trucks already use Sloane Street, the Mayor says some drivers still recognise Auburn Street as the through road.
The move feeds into the council’s CBD beautification program.
“There are other things we could be doing with the main street, which still have to be decided,” Cr Kirk said.
“We want it to be a pedestrian shopping strip. It was purpose built for traffic and that focus has shifted to the edges. Now we want to change that focus.”
The reclassification would mean the council didn’t have to seek permission from the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) every time it wanted to do work in Auburn Street.
Cr Kirk and general manager Warwick Bennett met with RMS officers in Wollongong on Tuesday about the move.
“It was a very positive meeting and we now have agreement that they will work with us to investigate ways to achieve it. They recognise that we have a community plan for the CBD,” the Mayor said.
But there’s more work for the council to do yet, including analysis of usage, testing of road pavement strength, investigation of intersections to meet requirements and of maintenance costs.
Meantime, Cr Margaret O’Neill successfully moved at Tuesday’s meeting for the council to investigate use of section 94 and 94A levies for developments within the CBD on parking and other “associated infrastructure.” The council will also encourage discussions with prospective developers to benefit the CBD.