By Tanya Faulkner
Knox City Council is readdressing works to improve foot traffic in The Basin.
At the latest council meeting on 26 June, Deputy Mayor Cr Jude Dwight submitted a motion for a new footpath design along Mountain Highway, from Wicks Road to Claremont Avenue at The Basin.
In her official movement, she said it is her intention for the council to receive a report by November of this year, unless deferred, in time to inform the 2024/25 Budget process, that identifies options for proceeding with the next stage of footpath works along the highway, including results of community consultation and investigates any potential funding streams through State Government giving the inherent safety issues along a busy major arterial.
Cr Dwight said this is a project that Cr Mortimore began and strongly advocated for in his last term on the council.
“A few years ago the council built a new footpath along the busy stretch of Mountain Hwy from The Basin shops to Wicks Rd as stage 1, in the hope of connecting right through to Claremont Ave and the broader catchment of residents in the basin ravine.
“Although it does have maintenance issues, it is much safer than the goat’s track that exists in the upper stretch,” she said.
She said although the second half of the footpath stands to be the most expensive in all of Knox, due to its location running adjacent to a major arterial, it would serve a significant portion of residents who do not currently have safe access to The Basin Village, who reside within the Urban Growth Boundary.
“I’ve sought regular briefings on this project and attempted the only ways I’ve known how to advocate for it through our budget process,” she said.
As it stands, there are still no results from community consultation and no real understanding of the options for the council to consider, leading to Ms Dwight’s motion, so the council can be fully informed and able to make a decision as they move into their next budget process.
She said although the council had talked extensively about the pressures on our budget at the recent council meeting, footpaths are a core business, and this particular path is significantly challenging due to topography, existing driveways, the slope, existing vegetation and the proximity to Mountain Highway. .
“I think it’s really important that we consult all affected residents and nearby users with cost in mind to properly inform a decision of the council.
“The longer we wait the more expensive this is getting,” she said.
Footpaths are the council’s core business and residents should be able to safely access their local shopping village on foot, with kids or pets in tow.
Cr Dwight said it often feels like other areas are prioritised because they’re ‘easy’ or cheaper, but the safety aspect of this particular stretch of highway demands that the council does its due diligence to find the right path forward and not simply leave it in the too hard basket.
