EMU MOUNTAIN ROAD - SHARED PATHWAY · ATT 1 - Assessment of Options - Emu Mountain Shared Pathway

Attachment 1 – Assessment of Options by Noosa Council staff – Emu Mountain Road Shared Pathway
(Detailed reports can be supplied upon request)

   Option                               Usability                                 Crime Prevention through          Traffic                                                       Environmental / Landscape
                                                                                  Environmental Design
   Option 1: Northern alignment         Provides a direct route for cyclists      Pathway is obvious to passing     Requires roundabout modification including lane reduction The required fill embankment and culverts have
   consisting of entirely concrete      and walkers from Old Emu Mountain         motorists                         and deflection to reduce vehicle speed at the roundabout significant clearing impact on the natural vegetation
   footpath with culverts and           Road to David Low Way crossing                                              exit and crossing point.                                  and waterways in the verge along Emu Mountain
   embankment extended to               point and onto the Sunshine Coast /                                         On road cyclists are provided with a cycle on/off-road    Road. The adjacent land is Noosa National Park and
   facilitate the connection from       Noosa Coastal Pathway and allows                                            ramp connection if they do not wish to share vehicle lane habitat for critical species such as Ground Parrot.
   Peregian Breeze to the existing      options to travel north and south                                           at roundabout.                                            Guardrails placed in strategic locations that will still
   crossing point at the northern leg   Coolum School students directed                                            TMR / Sunshine Coast Council are satisfied that the        allow views to adjacent Noosa National Park for
   of David Low Way.                    south can cross David Low Way at                                                                                                      passing motorists.
                                                                                                                   arrangements meet traffic standards and is the safest
                                        the 40kmh controlled crossing point                                        option.
                                        adjacent to the school.
                                                                                                                   Concerns raised for impacts on vehicle capacity at the
                                                                                                                   roundabout and potential congestion or perceived
                                                                                                                   congestion at the roundabout arising from the changes.
   Option 1b: General alignment         Provides a direct route for cyclists Pathway is obvious to passing          Requires roundabout modification including lane reduction Impact upon the adjacent verge is reduced through
   same as Option 1 and Option 2,       and walkers from Old Emu Mountain motorists                                 and deflection to reduce vehicle speed at the roundabout use of boardwalk over waterways.
   however mixture of graded            Road to David Low Way crossing                                              exit and crossing point.                                    The remaining required fill embankments will have
   pathway and boardwalk (rather        point and onto the Sunshine Coast /                                         On road cyclists are provided with an off-road transit lane significant clearing impact on the natural vegetation
   than extending embankment and        Noosa Coastal Pathway and allows                                            if they do not wish to share vehicle lane at roundabout     and waterways in the verge along Emu Mountain
   culverts).                           options to travel north and south.                                                                                                      Road. The adjacent land is Noosa National Park and
                                                                                                                     TMR / Sunshine Coast Council are satisfied that the
                                        Coolum School students to the south                                          arrangements meet traffic standards and is the safest      habitat for critical species such as Ground Parrot.
                                        can cross David Low Way at the                                               option.                                                    Guardrails placed in strategic locations that will still
                                        40kmh controlled crossing point                                                                                                         allow views to adjacent Noosa National Park for
                                                                                                                    Concerns raised for impacts on vehicle capacity at the
                                        adjacent to the school.                                                                                                                 passing motorists to reduce visual impact.
                                                                                                                    roundabout and potential congestion or perceived
                                                                                                                    congestion at the roundabout arising from the changes.


   Option 2: General alignment same     Provides a direct route for cyclists  Pathway is obvious to passing         Requires roundabout modification including lane reduction Impact upon the adjacent verge is reduced through
   as Option 1, however entire length   and walkers from Old Emu Mountain motorists                                 and deflection to reduce vehicle speed at the roundabout use of boardwalk over waterways and negating the
   to be boardwalk rather than          Road to David Low Way crossing                                              exit and crossing point.                                    need for a fill embankment and reduce vegetation
   concrete footpath.                   point and onto the Sunshine Coast /                                         On road cyclists are provided with an off-road transit lane impacts.
                                        Noosa Coastal Pathway and allows                                            if they do not wish to share vehicle lane at roundabout     Guardrails placed in strategic locations that will still
                                        options to travel north and south.                                                                                                      allow views to adjacent Noosa National Park for
                                                                                                                   TMR / Sunshine Coast Council are satisfied that the
                                        Coolum School students to the south                                        arrangements meet traffic standards and is the safest        passing motorists to reduce visual impact.
                                        can cross David Low Way at the                                             option.
                                        40kmh controlled crossing point
                                                                                                                    Concerns raised for impacts on vehicle capacity at the
                                        adjacent to the school. (indications
                                                                                                                    roundabout and potential congestion or perceived
                                        are that currently 60% of current
                                                                                                                    congestion at the roundabout arising from the changes.
                                        movements are to the school, though
                                        with a new connection anticipate that
                                        this statistic will change.
   Option 3: Southern alignment         Provides an indirect route for cyclists   Pathway is concealed. Improving Requires all users to cross major arterial roads twice (Emu Route is largely along a disturbed corridor and has the
   consisting of entirely concrete      and walkers from Old Emu Mountain         visibility would require significant Mountain Road and David Low Way) to access coastal     least environmental and landscape impact,
   footpath. Refuge crossing point      Road to David Low Way crossing            earthworks and vegetation            pathway.
   slightly east of Old Emu             point and onto the Sunshine Coast /       removal
   Mountain Road intersection.          Noosa Coastal Pathway.
                                                                                                                    Crossing point on Emu Mountain Road has a higher
                                                                                                                    vehicle speed environment then David Low Way and is
                                                                                                                    considered unsafe by Sunshine Coast Council and TMR
                                                                                                                    for cycle and pedestrian crossing point