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Traffic Traffic Traffic
01 December 2007
The Sunshine Coast community has been burdened for many years by a lack of infrastructure, particularly roads and public transport. This is very very evident in the University precinct and one wonders how on earth planners-past could have got it all so terribly wrong.
The traffic congestion associated with the University, our neighbouring schools and Chancellor Park detracts from our image as a human scale institution. Given our dedication to sustainability, it also raises a raft of different issues. Mercifully, things are about to change for the better and we are actively planning how we can maximise the benefits to be gained as the transport infrastructure around us takes on a more sophisticated and functional form.
With the duplication of the Sunshine Motorway completed on schedule, attention is now focussed on construction of the new interchange at Sippy Downs. The all-directional interchange will connect the motorway with Dixon and Claymore Roads providing additional access to the University and its neighbourhood by early next year. The additional interchange to Sippy Downs Drive and Sippy Downs Township will take longer to complete but is underway. It will be easier to enter the campus but what will we do with the increasing population of motor vehicles once they arrive?
A recently completed traffic management report confirmed that we have up to 3,400 vehicle entries a day. This year we introduced a traffic warden scheme for peak periods so that students could be directed to areas where parking spaces were available. We’ve also needed to establish new staff-only parking areas and overflow areas that may hold 300 vehicles at a time. An analysis of the data alerted us to the fact that our lecture timetable created particular parking congestion on Tuesdays. Timetabling for 2008 will spread the load more evenly.
A survey of first year students this year revealed that nearly 70 percent drove themselves to the University. Surprisingly only 5 percent were involved in car-pooling activity. We’ll be facilitating car-pooling next year by promoting the concept during Orientation Week and developing a web based system that will make it easier for students to identify others from the same local area who are interested.
Another link in the sustainable transport chain relates to bicycles. With the completion of the Sunshine Motorway exits/overpasses an enhanced bikepath network will also be completed. At the University we’ll be establishing secure, bike storage areas and expanding access to showers and change rooms so that bikers can change and freshen up before commencing the academic day.
And what about public transport? Survey data indicate that only about 12 percent of students use public transport, although 25 percent claim they’d be encouraged to use it if there were more direct/faster routes. A new bus interchange on campus, to be completed in the early part of 2008, along with additional route services due to be introduced, will greatly improve the situation, not just for the University but the community as a whole.
Professor Greg Hill is Acting Vice-Chancellor at the University of the Sunshine Coast.