A traffic study initiated by Caloundra City Division One Councillor Dick Newman assessing the weight of traffic, nature of traffic and parking needs in the township of Maleny is well underway. The results of this study will help CCC shape the way traffic is mapped through the town for years to come. The survey runs in conjunction with City Plan, a governance planning document in place until 2016.

The results of the 12-week study, which will cover the Maleny Plateau, will be instrumental in assessing the traffic and parking needs. Most importantly, when in its public consultation stage, it will be the conduit for the community to comment on parking availability and where traffic will be routed amid a plethora of residential and business developments springing up across the Hinterland.

A traffic study has been on the community's wish list for some time," said Cr Newman. "Outside of Woolworths and the Golf Course issue, this is very high on the public's agenda as many people have wanted it for at least the last five years."

Cr Newman pushed for the survey because he is concerned that without its findings, traffic planning for Maleny will be done using a uniform model designed for major cities across Australia.

"If you look at our current town plan there are proposed roads without much science behind them," he said. "If these roads are built it could create further traffic problems."

Because Maleny doesn't have the same traffic schedule as one of Australia's cities, the councillor said that the community must decide if it will be satisfied to have a standard traffic model applied, or whether they want special considerations.

"One of the things we must get to is our values," said the councillor.  "The planners will be using a standard city model where most of the time the system flows, sometimes it's empty, sometimes it's grid locked. Is that good planning for Maleny?"

That said, Cr Newman cautioned that any special consideration will come at a cost. And he also said that, contrary to public understanding, CCC was already spending more of its budget on rural areas than in the City. "I want people to have input on this decision," he said. "Do we want a system like anywhere else, or do we want something better that maintains the country way of life?"

Cr Newman told TRN that to date he was somewhat disappointed at the community's initial response to his survey initiative. Recently, through his column in TRN, he asked for three members of Maleny's community to volunteer for a three-member public steering committee for the study.

According to Cr Newman the response was poor, and he said that despite his attempts to ensure for adequate consultation with the community, only one person got their application in on time. Another application was received late while the other position still remains vacant.

"It's a twelve week time frame," said Cr Newman. "We couldn't wait any longer and now the survey is already well underway." The traffic survey, which will document car, pedestrian, parking, and bike movements with the plateau area, is indeed close to completion. Other surveys checking parking availability are still ongoing but the whole process will be completed mid April.

Following this the public consultation is scheduled for April 13 at 12:30-3pm at the Maleny Library.

Among other things it will be our chance to influence the future of how we park in the main street, how traffic exits the Riverside Centre, whether there will be a bridge for North Maleny to name but a few ...

"It will be very informal," said the councillor. "Just come in and have your say." Whilst there will be representatives of CCC on hand, Cr Newman stressed that the consultation would not be a chaired forum. Instead attendees will get the chance to study the results of the traffic study and communicate their opinion to CCC.

"One of the salient points of the process is that this consultation is just the start," said Cr Newman. "At the end of the day people will all have their say into what will form a draft document."