Moore St Upgrades - Naracoorte Primary School

Moore Street Upgrades - Naracoorte Primary School

Naracoorte Lucindale Council is aware of communication from the Naracoorte Primary School Governing Council to parents & caregivers regarding upcoming safety improvements being made to Moore Street, Naracoorte.

Whilst various statements have been made in that communication, Council would like to outline the process undertaken, and the outcomes that will be achieved through the Moore Street upgrades.

In late 2018, Council met with School & Governing Council representatives and discussed pedestrian (school children) safety concerns due to a reduction of on school ground carparking. At that early stage Council requested that the school discuss with the Department for Education the need to review their whole of site traffic management plan so future developments can be managed to maintain safe traffic flows. It was also outlined that the Department for Infrastructure & Transport have standard details for school crossings which would result in a reduction of car parks.

Consultation and further communication continued through 2018 to 2020. This included Council, Naracoorte Primary School, and Way to Go Road Safety Program (State Government). In August 2020, Council scoped and engaged a traffic consultant based on discussions with Way to Go Road Safety Program and the School. The Consultant inspected the site, and met with the School Principal. Included in consultation was information gathered through a school survey undertaken by the school.

By mid-2021, the road design was finalised, including Department for Infrastructure & Transport reviews, and a site meeting was held with the School Principal on Moore Street to review final drawings and discuss the crossing point, path access, and reduction of car parking numbers. No objections were raised by the School Principal at this meeting, and it is unknown what information the School Principal shared with the school community or Governing Council.

So, what are the outcomes and effects:

1. Pedestrian Safety, which is our primary objective, will be improved. This will be largely achieved through formal road re-construction of a sealed road & kerbing, footpath and a shared footpath/bike path on both sides of Moore Street (separation of vehicles and walkways which was a core request from School and survey).
2. Formal Emu Crossing on Moore Street, with greater separation and sightlines achieved.
3. A loop created for vehicles on Moore Street (North along Moore, loop at Swimming Lake, South on Moore Street). One significant past cause of reduced pedestrian safety included driver behaviour, and congested and/or inappropriate parking practices.
4. Parallel Parking on Moore Street. This is viewed as best practice and achieves a better standard of safety, but will reduce available parking.
5. High percentage of the School survey outcomes/observations being achieved.
6. Council was well aware of suggestions by the School that we could utilise some school land for the construction of a footpath, but this would not have altered parking or road design options.