Douglas roundabout stripped 'for line of sight issues'
Thursday February 12 2015, 11:15pm
Council crews have dramatically stripped a Port Douglas roundabout of vegetation to improve line of sight on Port Douglas Road.
Council crews carried out the works on Wednesday, bulldozing out the low-lying bushes from the roundabout at the intersection of Barrier Street and Port Douglas Road, adjacent to Niramaya Spa and Resort.
Only three large palm trees have been left standing.
Council operations manager Paul Hoye said the greenery in the roundabout was causing safety issue with lines of sight, and that council had a contract to perform the works on behalf of the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR).
“There was previously a non-enforceable arrangement in place with the adjacent resort to manage vegetation on the roundabout,” Mr Hoye said.
“The resort cut back on maintenance resulting in the roundabout landscaping no longer meeting the safety requirements set out by DTMR.
“As a result, Council is removing all of the existing vegetation with the exception of the three mature palms.”
“The area will be levelled and seeded with lawn seed, with the irrigation system preserved for possible future use.
“This solution will prevent a recurrence of DTMR’s current sight line safety issue.”
The clearing of the Barrier Street roundabout comes after council accepted a low-set, concrete-only design for the central circle of the upgraded Captain Cook Highway entrance roundabout.
Despite community outrage over the spartan design of the highway roundabout, DTMR rules required clear lines of sight over the central circle of the roundabout.