2015-09-15 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                15 SEPTEMBER 2015




                     Figure 22 – External Intersections Assessed by Applicant
In regard to Intersection 1 at Eumundi-Noosa Road/Beckmans Road, the applicant states:
It is apparent … the intersection is forecasted to breach its capacity at 2024, which is within the
timeframe of Council’s proposed reconstruction of the roundabout. Therefore additional upgrades
to the intersection would not be necessary so long as these scheduled works (reconstruction of
roundabout) maintain the capacity for the development scenario at the 2028 design horizon.
In regard to Intersection 4 at Eumundi-Noosa Road/Eenie Creek Road/Eumundi Road, the
applicant finds:
[Traffic Modelling] results indicate that the existing intersection has adequate capacity for the
background scenario at the 2018 design horizon. For the development scenario at the 2018 design
horizon the intersection would fail to operate acceptably during the Saturday AM design period with
the new development traffic volumes introduced in 2018.
Irrespective of the development traffic, the intersection does not have adequate capacity for the
background scenario at the 2028 design horizon as it breaches the [design] threshold of 0.85 for
roundabouts. Capacity failure of the existing roundabout would occur at approximately 2022
irrespective of the development traffic.
To obtain an acceptable level of operation at the 2028 design horizon without the development, an
upgrade of the roundabout is required. The analysis indicates that a roundabout would not provide
adequate capacity therefore any upgrading, irrespective of development traffic, will require a
signalised intersection. Current policies within the Noosa Plan (extracted from Table 3.3.1 –
Desired Standard of Service – Transport – Roads of the Priority Infrastructure Plan – Part 3)
indicate that intersections should not be controlled by traffic signals. In particular, outcome O92
states that “intersections, both internal and external to the Noosa Business Centre site, are
designed to operate without the need for traffic light”. Despite such a policy, it is apparent from the
analysis that traffic signals are a necessary treatment at this intersection in the future, irrespective
of the proposed development. It is also noted that despite such a policy, the Noosa Council has
considered it necessary to install traffic signals at other locations, including intersections previously
controlled by a roundabout.


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