Community has say on Cowes Streetscape

THERE has been a strong response to the Cowes Streetscape Master Planning project being undertaken by the shire with well over a hundred submissions made online and in-person.

The project seeks to reshape the main hub of Cowes and connect The Esplanade to Olive Justice Place to the Redeveloped Cowes Cultural and Community Centre.

The shire held numerous in-person sessions while residents were able to make submissions online, with the feedback now under review. 

Some of the greatest changes will occur in Thompson Avenue, between Chapel Street and The Esplanade, with traffic transitioning to one-way southbound vehicle traffic only with limited parallel parking options.

A critical aspect of the plans includes a significant reduction in parking spaces for some areas. 

In Section 1 – Thompson Avenue North and The Esplanade, the current 66 parking spaces will be reduced to 24 with four taxi rank spaces.

Section 2 parking will be reduced from 73 to 61, Section 3 – Chapel Street to 41 from 46, Section 5 – Church Street will transition from 12 spaces and 12 informal spaces to 11 parking spaces.

While Bass Avenue will revert from 6 formal and 42 informal spaces to 40 parking spaces in the short-term plan and 58 in the long-term plan.

Other aspects of the project are detailed in the draft concepts.

For The Esplanade and Thompson Avenue North (from Chapel Street) key changes include:

• The Esplanade transitions to one-way vehicle traffic westbound within a 10km/h shared zone.

• Shared zone streetscape 

• Accessible passage by all abilities with no kerbs and introduction of expanded terraced ramped landscape at no steeper than 1:20 gradient Thompson Avenue South (between Chapel Street and Church Street)- long term plan:

• Introduce painted kerb-side protected cycles lanes to both sides of Thompson Avenue with 800mm wide barriers between the cycle lane and car parks, and maintain angled parking with the introduction of wheel stops. Reduce speed limit to 30km/h.

• Reduction in car parks will be required to allow for raised pedestrian crossings mid-block and at intersections.

• Chapel Street and Church Street intersections to become signalised and fully raised level with the footpath.

Chapel Street (between Warley and Bass Avenue)

• Retain slip-lane vehicle access to/from Transit Centre car park; remove parallel car parking and transition the space into a flush shared zone with seating, wayfinding signage and improved garden beds.

• Provide raised crossings at intersections and mid-block crossing connecting the shopping centre with Olive Justice Place.

• Upgrade pedestrian paths, ramps and stairs to enable universal access.

Church Street (between Warley and Bass Avenue):

• Provide raised crossings at intersections and mid-block crossing between Thompson Avenue and the Transit Centre.

• Upgrade footpath surfaces, including widening along the north side of Church Street.

• Slow traffic along Thompson Avenue from Church Street northbound to 30/40 km/h; and provide directional parking signage.

Bass Avenue (between the Esplanade and Chapel Street):

• Narrow the vehicle carriageway to 7m wide.

• Provide angled parking along east side of Bass Avenue, buffered by a vegetated nature strip with trees.

• Widen the footpath along the west side of Bass Avenue and provide wide planted nature strips with treed colonnade.

Feedback submitted online included concerns regarding one-way traffic, possibility of less parking spaces and replacing roundabouts with traffic lights. 

One contributor stated, “The reduction of car spaces from 66 to 24 in a shopping and restaurant area where there is an ageing population who need ready access to facilities is flawed. Also, a speed limit of 10km per hour is impossible for a driver to achieve. There seems to be a lack of common sense in this proposal. I have no issue with this area of Thompson Avenue being closed off for events which is something that already occurs.”