A Balclutha traffic management group, formed about four years ago to look at future options for the town's traffic layouts, is to get new membership as it prepares to again look at the issue.
The group has been quiet in recent years, with its last formal meeting nearly three years ago, but, with several key projects on the horizon, the Clutha District Council is pressing to get the group back around the table.
Today's district assets committee meeting will be asked to recommend the group's new membership and the adoption of its terms of reference.
District assets manager Jules Witt said it was time to ‘‘get the group back on the agenda'', with the council planning a review of its long-term council community plan and major footpath upgrades and renewals planned around the town.
Deputy mayor Hamish Anderson is expected to chair the 15-member group, which will also include the Balclutha ward's three other councillors, district assets committee chairman Peter McPherson, Mr Witt and council chief executive Charles Hakkaart, plus representatives from business, emergency services, transport and roading bodies, engineers and senior citizens.
Because there were new councillors and others involved now, it was timely for the group to meet again, look over past plans and ideas and consider any new suggestions at the same time.
These talks will look to establish priorities for work and different projects around the town.
‘‘It's time to pull the ideas out of the drawer and have a fresh look at things,'' Mr Witt said.
Since the last meeting in April 2005, there had been new information on traffic counts and different ways to create new traffic layouts, which had to be considered when developing new ideas and priorities.
Three years ago, the group outlined potential projects to be considered for the short, medium and long term.
These may be retained or changed completely, Mr Witt said, depending on the new memberships' views.
Short-term goals then included beautifying the town's main street and improving intersections at both ends of the retail areas. A single bypass was considered a medium-term goal.
Long-term possibilities included widening the main street to four lanes and the prospects of a replacement Balclutha bridge.
