Nowra man Bill Hancock believes he can provide more parking spaces than Shoalhaven City Council’s proposed $15m five-level Nowra CBD car park for a fraction of the price.
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And without having to build a “five-storey concrete monolith”.
Mr Hancock’s proposal is to provide two, one-way traffic loops, in the Nowra CBD and angled parking.
He believes his plan would provide 1624 parking spaces, an additional 731 spaces to what is available now - exceeding the proposed 467 spaces proposed for the new multi-level car park.
And he believes it’s achievable for just over $11m - cheaper than council’s proposal which while estimated at $15m, “which could easily blow out to around $20m,” Mr Hancock said.
Mr Hancock outlined his plan to the Southern Regional Planning Panel in Nowra last Wednesday during its meeting in which it gave council's proposal the green light.
He originally suggested a one-way CBD loop back in April this year after traffic mayhem in Nowra over the Easter break.
His plan is to stop traffic turning off the Princes Highway into Bridge Road [other than emergency vehicles], with Moss Street becoming a grand new entrance welcoming people into the CBD with two lanes of one-way traffic, blending into one lane at the North Street roundabout.
“To promote and strengthen our commercial core we need angle street parking,” he said.
“It creates vitality, spaces are visible, there are no wasted gaps as with parallel parking, it’s right outside some businesses’ front door and not hidden away in some concrete monolith as is being proposed.”
From the Moss and North street roundabout and all the way to Berry Street is one-way traffic, with angle parking on both sides and tree lined.
Our glory days of being the only place where people do their shopping are over. New developments at Bomaderry, South Nowra, internet shopping, and escape spending are killing us.
- Nowra man Bill Hancock
“That gets rid of driver and pedestrian confusion from oncoming vehicles and then there’ll be no need for the black spot funded lights at Kinghorne Street.” he said.
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South on Berry Street, across Junction Street to Worrigee Street, then left at Worrigee Street roundabout and all the way down to the Nowra Lane intersection near Office Work is also one-way.
To complement the entry in Moss Street, an equivalent grand exit is needed out of the CBD.
Worrigee Street from Haigh Avenue to the intersection of the highway be four lanes of traffic heading east - two being able to turn north and two south.
“If we want our visitors to come back they must have a good relaxed. experience for their final impressions,” he said.
He said that circuit would provide 580 parking spaces - 261 newly created.
“Council have been converting parallel parking spaces to angle parking space for around $5,208 per space,” he said “let’s allow for inflation and extras - let’s say $7000, per space, this circuit would cost just over $4 million.
“I’d actually like to see the traffic lights at Bridge Road removed - but still allow emergency vehicles to have access, so especially ambulances can easily get to Shoalhaven District Hospital.”
The second circuit is for traffic coming from the south, left into a one-way Plunkett Street, up to and then right into a one-way Osborne Street all the way to Hyam Street and continue one way traffic to Bridge Road.
“Again with angle parking on both sides this second circuit provides 1044 parking spaces, 470 newly created at a cost of $7.3m,” he said.
“That’s almost half the price of the multi-storey car park and its 265 new spaces, whereas the two circuits generate 731 new spaces.
“And as a bonus we have removed one stage of the traffic light cycle at three sets of highway lights, speeding up highway traffic considerably.”
We don’t need a $20 million multi-level car park. Who’s going to pay for it?
- Nowra man Bill Hancock
Mr Hancock said the region can’t afford $20m for the multi-storey car park and it “wouldn’t solve enough of our problems”.
By Mr Hancock’s calculations - the extra 200 odd parking spaces to be provided by the $20m multi-level car park, would come at a cost of more than $75,000 each.
The whole project will provide 467 spaces, which according to Mr Hancock’s calculations would still work out at a cost of more than $42,000 per space.
“They [council] say the new car park will be 467 car parking spaces - no - 205 already exist on that site (although council's application states 193), so it’s only 262 new spaces,” he said.
“And who’s going to pay?
“Casual shop employees? Surely they could find $20 a day to park their car? So why would you work in the CBD?
“It costs nothing if you work at South Nowra or Bomaderry.”
He said council's proposal didn’t include ground floor commercial space and this type of blank development only kills CBD vitality.
“We already have enough of that,” said Mr Hancock who along with his wife have been longtime property owners in Kinghorne Street.
“A bypass splits the CBD, we pay higher council rates and their [council’s] parking rangers hammer us, harder than they do competing areas.
“Landlords have extra costs upgrading old buildings to comply with new standards and corporate land holders are sitting on strategic vacant land that they are not developing.
“Nowra was surveyed as a village, narrow streets and smaller blocks; it’ll never be a Dubbo, a Wagga or a Tamworth.
“Our glory days of being the only place where people do their shopping are over. New developments at Bomaderry, South Nowra, internet shopping, and escape spending are killing us.
“We’ve got to take action now and re-imagine Nowra’s role in today’s society.
“Whatever we do must be affordable, draw people in, deliver the required parking, improve beautification and promote vitality.
“This multi-storey car park is not going to do that.
“After our visitors cross the bridge, we need enough distance to remind them that if they move into the two right lanes they’ll find all the services they need.
“There will need to be clearly defined signage directing them to their destination and they need to get a sense of arrival, because first impressions are critical.”
While Mr Hancock’s suggestion was considered by the planning panel it did not impact the final decision to approve council’s proposal, however chairperson Pam Allan suggested he talk to council and present his ideas.