Centennial Circuit one-way traffic trial starts on 22 May

Centennial-Circuit-traffic.jpg

The one-way traffic trial on Centennial Circuit in the Byron Bay Arts and Industry (A&I) Estate will start on 22 May.

Council had hoped to start the trial in February but it took longer than expected to work out the logistics of waste collection in the area affected by the one-way trial.

Normally waste and recycling bins are emptied every Wednesday in the A&I Estate but for one-way section (Brigantine to Wollongbar Streets) and for the duration of the one-way traffic trial, waste will be collected over two days.

“We know it sounds like a pretty simple problem to work out but unfortunately it was quite tricky,” Isabelle Hawton, Project Planner, said.

“The one-way traffic system would have made it impossible for the trucks we normally use to collect the waste on both sides of the street so we have had to ask people to alter where and when they put their bins out,” Ms Hawton said.

“The waste collection will now be spread over two days and people on the eastern side (or inside) of Centennial Circuit will have to take their bins across the road.

“People will no doubt be asking why we can’t collect all the waste and recycling on the same day and the answer is that there is just not the space on one side of the road for all the wheelie bins,” Ms Hawton said.

From 22 May 2021, the following changes apply only to the section of Centennial Circuit affected by the one-way trial:

  • One-way traffic from Brigantine Street to Wollongbar Street in a clockwise direction.
  • Waste collection for properties located in the trial area will be on Wednesday (Waste and Organics) and Thursday (Recycling). Outside the trial area, waste collection will remain as normal. People will need to take their bins out the night before.

The one-way traffic trial will run for six months to November 2021. At the end of the trial Council will evaluate the feedback and consider whether or not it should become permanent.

The concept of a one-way traffic trial came out of the development of the Byron Arts and Industry Estate Precinct Plan in 2019 when residents, business owners and people who work in the estate highlighted a need for better traffic management.

The increasing number of cars and trucks on Centennial Circuit mean it is very congested and Council is hoping the one-way trial may ease some problems.

“We initially received very positive feedback from people who are supportive of the trial and we apologise for the delay,” Ms Hawton said.

/Public Release. View in full here.