Katoomba Charrette Outcomes Report - Blue Mountains City Council

Katoomba Charrette Report & Town Centre Strategy
Action 8.6.2 - Relocate the roundabout to the south a few metres and redesign the Bathurst
Road and Parke Street roundabout to improve traffic flows and pedestrian safety, as per the
Charrette design.
8.6.3 Main Street and Katoomba Street Intersection
The intersection of Main and Katoomba Streets is not perceived to be working very well, for
cars turning to Katoomba Street or for pedestrians. The intersection was perceived by many as
not detailed to encourage visitors arriving via Main Street to turn down Katoomba Street,
hopefully to support the Town Centre better.
The Charrette concluded that improved Town Entry signage (see Section 7.5.4) and an
upgrading of the facades (see Section 7.3.1) and more active uses for the key buildings
fronting this intersection are likely to be more valuable in attracting more users than major
intersection improvements. A roundabout for this intersection was considered and discarded
because of its expense and, more importantly, because, while it would distribute vehicular
traffic well, it would disadvantage pedestrians trying to cross.
The Charrette proposed a much less costly and higher-return minor improvement to this
intersection. The kerb on the southwest corner is to be extended northward into the
intersection, as shown on the drawing for Katoomba Street Improvements above (Section
8.5.2). This kerb extension will reduce the pedestrian crossing distance, introduce more space
for sunny outdoor dining and/or display of items for sale, and will help to protect parallel
parked cars along the south side of Main Street from being hit by west-bound traffic.
Action 8.6.3 - Construct proposed Charrette Improvements for the intersection of Main and
Katoomba Streets.
8.6.4 Prior Place and Katoomba Street Intersection
Prior Place is the street passing from Katoomba Street to Parke Street just north of the Jewels
Supermarket. This street presently has no right turns allowed into it from its intersection with
Katoomba Street. This condition unduly causes congestion and excess distances to be
travelled. There is enough width in this present one-way length for it to function well as a
two-way street, and to have turning access from Katoomba Street in both directions, which is
what the Charrette proposed. This improvement was completed by Council immediately
following the Charrette. There remains a need to ensure that the future streetscape
improvements to Katoomba Street include consideration of this area, particularly sight lines
and plantings.
Action 8.6.4 - Change Prior Place to a two-way street, with turning access from Katoomba
Street and priority given to north-south Katoomba Street traffic.
8.6.5 Katoomba and Waratah Streets Intersection
This pivotal intersection in the Town Centre has several inter-related problems. Despite traffic
volumes not being very high, congestion takes place for several reasons. There are no right
turn pockets, which would separate turning traffic from through traffic at the intersection and
allow the through traffic to proceed past the traffic waiting to turn. The pedestrian cross walks
(or some form of pedestrian priority and protection) are important to have, but the many
pedestrians crossing the street so frequently and erratically tend to congest the vehicular
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