Bass Coast Shire Council, Wonthaggi Secondary College and the Bass Coast Specialist School are working together on a traffic management system to minimise impact on the local area, once the new College Campus opens in 2020.
The new Campus is located at the end of McKenzie Street in Wonthaggi.
A traffic management plan was completed as part of the planning for the new Campus, which projects modest increases in traffic once the school is in operation.
Council will continue to work with the College and Specialist School on traffic management along McKenzie Street prior to the College opening and will carry out a review of traffic management in April 2020.
Several improvements will be implemented by Council prior to the College opening including an extension of the existing pathway linking the Wonthaggi CBD to the Campus along McKenzie Street and an extension to the pathway along Miners Drive connecting pedestrians from the Campus to Billson Street. The existing path along Reed Crescent has recently been widened, to provide a safer pedestrian route, connecting to the Miners Drive path.
Traffic management measures that will be put in place once school starts in 2020 include encouraging the use of existing bus drop-off and pick-up areas at the current WSC Senior Campus site as alternate student pick-up and drop-off points, investigating the Old CFA Training Ground on McKenzie Street for overflow parking, drop-offs and pick-ups, the installation of roadside signage, restricting on-road parking on McKenzie Street and creating a bus route plan in collaboration with the College.
Upcoming consultation with nearby residents on local roadside traffic management, will help Council to inform future parking regulations.
The new campus includes two car parking areas, providing 133 car spaces, including accessible spaces, which ensures all demands will be met on-site at all times, including when the community stadium is in use. It also includes an internal drop off area, including several dedicated bus pick-up/drop-off areas, that provides direct access through the main entry and exit to the school.
Through the pathway network which includes formalised crossing locations and connects the campus to the Wonthaggi CBD and residential areas, Council and the College will be encouraging more students to take the opportunity to walk or ride to school.
