CROSSING from Burns Beach to Kinross along Marmion Avenue will soon be safer for pedestrians.
The City of Joondalup has received State Government approval to install a signalised crossing about 100m north of the Grand Ocean Entrance/ Edinburgh Avenue roundabout.
Mayor Troy Pickard said the crossing would be the first of its kind in the City, though there are similar crossings in the Perth metropolitan area.
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READ NOWThis is because it is the only crossing in the City that is solely for pedestrians and not at a junction or intersection.
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Funded by the City, it will feature red and white coloured posts instead of the standard yellow posts to highlight the crossing, pavement markers, visual countdown timers for pedestrian movements and ramps for disability access.
He said the City had been working with local community groups “over the past two to three years” to address the issue of pedestrians moving safely between Burns Beach and Kinross and to “explore mechanisms to help alleviate problems that local residents are facing”.
It had also allocated $150,000 in its 2015-16 budget for safety improvements to the site.
Mr Pickard said the outcome was “a huge win for residents in the northern suburbs”.
“This crossing will also help to take more vehicles from the road and encourage children and their parents to walk to school, as many currently have to drive the short distance across the two suburbs due to the difficulties pedestrians face crossing Marmion Avenue,” he said.
In 2015, the council received a 1820-signature petition requesting an underpass or overpass across the roundabout.
But at its meeting in December 2015, the council voted against these options because of the significant costs and site constraints.
Instead, it voted for traffic lights to be installed north of the roundabout. It is expected the signalised crossing will be installed by the end of July.