Your story in "Shire road rage: Sutherland Oval traffic for back streets" (Leader, September 11) is a good example of locals passionate about our community, and it's right they raise questions about a major upgrade to the Linden Street corridor, a notorious "pinch point" used by 65,000 motorists every day.
More than 230,000 people were contacted either in person, online or by letter and around 600 people had their say in just a few short weeks. Each comment will be considered before any work is started.
Already, it's clear that many drivers are frustrated with sitting in around a kilometre of traffic queues in peak periods. They want to see this congestion-busting project delivered. As the article correctly said, some will save eight minutes a day.
During the busy winter and summer sporting seasons, traffic data reveals less than a thousand drivers travel straight at The Grand Parade away from Sutherland Oval each day.
The article's claim that ''thousands'' of vehicles will therefore be forced onto ''back streets'' is inaccurate - and any additional traffic will be managed by adjustments to traffic lights to benefit motorists and pedestrians.
While easing congestion is critical, we are assured safety (including any concerns about bushfire access) is our number one priority, and will be reflected in the final design of the project, to be released in a few months' time.
Eleni Petinos Miranda MP, Lee Evans Heathcote MP
I am one of those residents who will be impacted by the proposed changes at the intersection of Linden St and The Grand Parade at Sutherland. There is a very simple solution. Program the traffic lights to ban traffic from travelling east along The Grand Parade across Linden St during weekday peak hours, but allow it the rest of the time. This achieves the RMS goal of improving traffic flow on Linden Street on weekdays in peak hour, while allowing sports participants easy egress from Sutherland Oval on weekends and weeknights. In the event of a bushfire such as the one which impacted this area in 1994, the traffic lights at The Grand Parade could be overridden to allow egress from The Grand Parade.
Graham Johnson, Sutherland
The RMS plans for Linden Street don't just ignore Sutherland west residents. The plans also ignore pedestrians, cyclists and bus stop users. The public consultation brochure does not recognise the needs of pedestrians crossing Linden Street and managed to not mention the cycle path along Leonay Street or the bus stops on Linden Street. The plans also do not address the difficulties of traffic turning from Leonay Street north to head west, where there are long delays at the lights as far back as the railway line.
Rhonda Daniels, Sutherland
A huge thank you to the Leader, residents and Cr Steve Simpson for the coverage on the closing of east bound through traffic from The Grand Parade. The so-called discussion with government organisers was a disgrace. There was no way it would be a forum for legitimate concerns, it was a done deal. In the brochure received, announcing the blueprint for clearing banked up traffic from the Bangor side of the river it referred to "pinch points". Well, who CAUSED these pinch points? Unlimited, enormous developments, without first addressing how the enormous influx of residents would be dispersed. The Pits, at Kirrawee, is a case in point, with the Princes Highway at a standstill. So, don't blame us, but whoever started the mess in the first place.
Lyn Peteira
