DEAR Geoff of Willaston,
Many residents of Edith Street have been lobbying council for a solution to the volume of traffic on Edith Street for decades.
A resident group petitioned council three years ago, fed up with non-action on this issue.
The volume of traffic on Edith Street last count was 2400 per day.
Since this count, the corner realignment at Short Street, has encouraged more traffic, higher speeds and more aggressive driver behaviour.
All traffic reports identify that Edith Street is not being used as intended, which is a residential street.
The reports have identified the majority of the traffic on Edith Street are rat-runners.
Every council in Adelaide the resident group has contacted would not accept the volume of traffic experienced by Edith Street and would have acted by now.
Lyndoch and Murray Roads are arterial roads and can carry more traffic than currently.
Murray Street is a collector road, Edith is a residential road.
Why do you think it is acceptable or your right to rat run through residential streets causing grief and angst to residents?
Would you like 2,400 cars and trucks a day on your street starting at 4:45 am?
Would you like to be abused and threatened by drivers as you try to enter and exit your property or cross the road as a pedestrian?
The Gawler traffic engineer has stated in his report to council that road closure is the ONLY holistic solution to the long-term problems on Edith Street, which are expected to only get worse with no intervention.
It is also the cheapest option, which was a condition stipulated by council.
Please look at the facts, not your perception of what you think it should be or want it to be.
Make your judgements from an informed position. Try putting the shoe on the other foot.
Would you think these conditions acceptable on your street?
Agreed there is congestion on the Lyndoch and Murray Road intersection, but Gawler is not a small town anymore and this congestion is only in peak times.
Look at suburban Adelaide main roads in peak times, maybe it will just take a few sets of lights to get through the intersection.
Look at what councils have done all through suburbs like Mile End, Brompton, Prospect, Unley to keep people from cut- ting through suburbs.
Gawler is no different. Mr Midwinter is a spokesperson for many. Not just a lone voice.
Affected Edith Street resident, Gawler.
