What's in the Walk Manly Plan

The new Walk Manly - Pedestrian Access and Mobility Plan - has been put together to identify and fix existing trouble spots; improve access to public transport including the Hop Skip Jump Bus; and anticipate and manage future demand. ​It was adopted by Council in October, and is currently costed at $2,125,000.
 

​Items, which are listed below, are grouped in geographical zones in the study area as shown. 

Or go to the full Walk Manly plan here.  Attachment booklet for NBC meeting 24/10/17. From p21

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​Manly Town Centre

East Esplanade and Belgrave St junction, opposite the Wharf - this major intersection is notorious for people crossing against the traffic lights.  Options include installing countdown timers to let people know how long they have to wait. This is likely to discourage people from crossing on the red but, because it requires that all pedestrians cross at the same time, it may mean longer wait times for pedestrians and cars. 

Town Hall pedestrian crossing at The Corso and Whistler St.  The existing zebra crossing is too wide and is non-compliant with traffic standards, and markings are confusing.  The crossing should be redesigned and fencing or plantar boxes installed to restrict people to the marked area. 

Rialto Lane - a conflict area with combined loading zone and pedestrian area.  Options include installing wayfinding signage to direct pedestrians away from problem areas, linemarking of loading areas and restricting loading times. The cleanest option, restricting loading to the two privately owned loading zones at either end of the lane, depends on negotiation with the zones owners - Coles and Ribs and Rumps. 

Darley Rd and Wentworth St intersection, opposite Manly Village Public School - unsafe signalised crossing. Motorists try to drive round the corner while pedestrians are crossing on the green light. Traffic lights can be reconfigured for ‘pedestrian protection’, meaning pedestrians get a green light before the traffic does.  Already done. 

Darley Rd and The Corso intersection - pedestrian crossing with traffic lights.  Audit showed nothing wrong with the signage or timing of traffic lights.  Risky behaviour by pedestrians should be targeted in education campaign. 

Raglan St, near St Mary’s school - unsafe zebra crossing.  Options include improve signage and line markings, or installing a raised ‘wombat’ crossing. 

East Esplanade, near Victoria Parade - unsafe zebra crossing. Install better lighting and remove vegetation so pedestrians can be seen. ​

Northern Zone

Pittwater and Balgowlah roads intersection, near Harris Farm Markets - lack of a pedestrian crossing.  Options include installing either a pedestrian refuge or a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights on Pittwater Rd near Harris Farm carpark. Or to convert the existing roundabout into an intersection with traffic lights, with protected pedestrian crossings (pedestrian Walk signal before cars have green light) on all approaches. 

North Steyne, opposite Queenscliff Surf Club - unsafe raised ‘womat’ crossing. This crossing is at a complicated intersection between North Steyne, Collingwood St and Cameron Ave, on a curving road with short sight lines. It also adds to traffic congestion in the area. Options include moving the crossing 50m south on North Steyne, or redirecting pedestrians through the existing underpass - but in both cases people will probably still try and cross opposite the surf club. The third option is to put traffic lights at the existing intersection, including at Cameron Ave and Collingwood St. 

Manly ocean beach shared bike path - conflict between pedestrians, cyclists and people getting out of cars. Suggestion is to paint very obvious ‘shared pathway’ line marking, although there are concerns this may not be enough.  

Manly Lagoon shared pathway - too narrow and poorly lit. Options include widening the pathway or creating a second pathway, depending on the outcome of community consultation. Improve lighting, while minimising light pollution into nearby homes. 

Pittwater Rd bridge over far end Queenscliff Lagoon - narrow footpath with shared pedestrian/cycle way. Options include pedestrian fencing or widening the footpath or building a separate bike path bridge. 

Pittwater Rd, near Carlton St junction - no existing crossing.  A fully signalised (traffic lights) intersection.  Pittwater Rd is a State Road so approval is needed from the RMS. This is a big ticket item, costing about $800,000. It's expected the RMS will pay up to 50% of the costs. 

North Steyne, near Carlton St junction - no existing crossing.  Pedestrian refuge, with design to minimise conflict with cyclists on ocean front shared path.  Along with new traffic lights on Pittwater Rd at the other end of Carlton St, this would create a clear walking pathway down Carlton St to the ocean front. 

North Steyne, near Denison St - unsafe zebra crossing. Install better lighting.

North  Steyne, near Pacific St - zebra crossing.  Clear vegetation from signage.

Southern Zone/Eastern Hill

Bower Lane providing local access to Fairy Bower - a ‘high conflict’ area with pedestrians, cars and a loading zone.  Convert area to ‘shared zone’  including removing footpath to widen roadway and installing smooth paving across entire road surface. Restrict loading times and the size of commercial vehicles. 

East Esplanade, near Ashburner St junction - unsafe crossing. A zebra crossing had been suggested here but is not suitable as it would be too near a corner and on a downhill run. Plan is to direct pedestrians away from the corner  by extending crash barrier on the north side of E Esplanade and adding pedestrian fencing. Then creating a safe place to cross on the far side of the junction to cross by adding a pedestrian refuge just north of Ashburner St. 

Reddall and Cliff streets intersection - unsafe high pedestrian area. Install pedestrian refugees.

Darley Rd pavement above Marshall St - unsafe shared bike/pedestrian path. Better signage, including on driveways crossing path, and footpath markings.
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Sydney Road Zone

Commonwealth Pde near Fairlight St junction - unsafe pedestrian refuge.  Refuge is on a sweeping curve and hard to see for drivers coming from the east.  Increase signage and install traffic calming road cushions.

Manly Swim Centre

Kenneth and Balgowlah roads near Manly Swim Centre.  Investigate lowering the speed limit on Kenneth Rd, but agreement must be reached with the RMS.  Reconfigure the existing zebra crossing on Balgowlah Rd and install road cushions on either side of it, or relocate the crossing 20m south along Balgowlah Rd away from the Kenneth Rd intersection.

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