A RIVERLAND council will voice its frustrations to the State Government regarding a local pedestrian trail saying it is “dangerous” for pedestrians and cyclists.
Renmark Paringa councillors passed a motion at last month’s general meeting to advise the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) the Bookmark Creek Pedestrian Bridge footpath – constructed as part of upgrades to the bridge in 2019 – was “unsafe and not acceptable in its current state”.
Renmark Paringa mayor Neil Martinson said instances of rain or high traffic in the area created a risk of pedestrians falling on the footpath.
“It certainly is susceptible to people slipping in the area that has only got gravel instead of formal pavement,” Mr Martinson said.
“It can be quite slippery from any rain… or the pebbles from the road. It’s a dangerous situation and something needs to be done about it.”
Council had allocated $100,000 in its 2018/19 Annual Business Plan towards improved pedestrian access on the Bookmark Creek Bridge.
Mr Martinson said the current trail was particularly dangerous for cyclists, parents walking with young children, and elderly residents.
“The idea was to get traffic off the bridge, particularly bikes, and it’s just not accessible for anybody to ride a bike in that area,” he said.
“For people who are out walking with kids, or especially elderly people, it’s just not practical to use that particular area.
“The fact (is) they’ve closed a lane completely off of Bookmark Bridge and the department or the Federal Government needs to fix it.”
Renmark Paringa director of corporate and community services Tim Pfeiffer said council would make its dissatisfaction with the footpath’s current state clear to DPTI.
“It’s fair to say that if we had our time again, we would probably do things a bit differently,” Mr Pfeiffer said.
“Council acknowledged firmly at our meeting that what is there right now and the work that’s been done to date by DPTI is unsafe and not acceptable in its current state.
“The resolution was very clear… because we don’t think it’s accessible as it is right now and we think it does need to be properly finished off.
“When we were discussing things with DPTI, I think we had very different ideas of where we would end up and it’s very different to what we expected they would deliver.”
In a report for last month’s general council meeting agenda, Renmark Paringa director of infrastructure and environmental services Tim Tol expressed concern regarding “a difference of recollection as to what council was going to do and/or contribute to this project between council staff and DPTI staff”.
Mr Tol also wrote it was “disappointing that there has been a breakdown in communication during this project resulting in two disparate views between council and DPTI”.
Mr Martinson said costs associated with completing the walkway – to be further investigated by council – would likely be “minimal” compared to the initial investment required for the Bookmark Creek Bridge upgrade.
“The walkway and bicycle track need to be extended from where they finished off when they completed the bridge,” he said.
“When we made the initial inquiry (in 2018) the funding had run out, however, the amount of funding needed to finish the walkway and bicycle track is far less than what had been spent there originally.”