Proposals to close streets in Orange's main shopping district for the running of this year's Newcrest Orange Challenge cycle race are set to be considered at next week's Council meeting.
The Newcrest Orange Challenge is set to attract around 1500 riders and their families for a series of races around the region's roads on the weekend of 21-22 March this year.
The proposed closures and traffic arrangements have been approved by the City of Orange Traffic Committee and will be recommended for adoption at next week's Council meeting.
City of Orange Traffic Committee chair, Cr Russell Turner believes the economic value to Orange of hosting the annual event for the fifth time will outweigh the short term inconvenience.
"When these key roads close, there will be an impact for local businesses and residents," Cr Russell Turner said. "There will be a lot more people in town and there will be benefits for business as these people visit local hotels, cafes, restaurants and our wide range of retail outlets. There will also be potential problems, but nothing we can't handle."
"If business operators know about the proposed closures ahead of time, they can assess the impacts for their individual business and plan for those changes. People driving around town can plan to use alternative routes.
"Like other businesses, our retail sector is feeling the impact of the drought with shoppers from further afield having less to spend this year. An event like this will be a real shot in the arm for businesses doing it tough at present.
"Our Future City proposals are also floating the idea of more pedestrian spaces in the centre of Orange. We've had a taste of these options at the latest night markets when a block of Byng Street was closed. Events like this will let us see what it's like to have a block of Summer Street and Lords Place closed temporarily for a special event.
"These races are going to be spectacular to watch and these road closures will let the hundreds of spectators get a safe view of the action."
Some of the proposed road closures will be in place throughout the weekend while others will only happen on Saturday or Sunday.
Weekend closures
The proposal is to :
- close the southbound lane of Lords Place between Byng Street and Summer Street from noon Saturday to 8pm Sunday, and
- close McNamara Lane between Summer and Byng Street from noon Saturday to 8pm Sunday.
During this period the Lords Place taxi rank will switch to the opposite (western) side of Lords Place.
Saturday closures
Saturday's program includes a prologue event : a timed sprint race for individual riders around Robertson Park to be held between 4pm and 8pm.
The proposed Saturday road closures include :
- closing Byng Street between Peisley Street and Lords Place between 4pm and 8pm on Saturday
Sunday closures
The proposed Sunday road closures include:
- Closing both lanes of Summer Street between Lords Place and Peisley Street on Sunday from 6am to 5pm.
There will also be a series of rolling closures along side-streets in Moulder St, Coronation Drive and Cargo Road between 6.30 am and 9 am as the riders leave Orange, and along side-streets in Anson St between 11 am and 4pm and the riders re-enter Orange at the end of the races.
