EXCITING news this week, with funding secured to relocate Coolum State School’s Stop, Drop and Go area.
During the upcoming Easter school holidays, work will be done to move the drop-off area further down School Road, to stop the traffic trailing back onto the roundabout during peak periods.
This project is an essential step in our ongoing campaign to bust congestion and improve safety, preceding the $5million upgrade of the roundabout on Yandina Coolum Road, School Road and South Coolum Road. The roundabout is set to be replaced with a signalled intersection later this year, improving safety for the many students (nearly 50%) who use active transport to get to school.
The project complements other work currently underway on the $3million business case to duplicate the Sunshine Motorway, which will include a new interchange at Coolum, and a new on-off ramp at West Coolum, and also forms a critical part of the school’s new Masterplan that will eventually deliver a new building with 12 classrooms, a new administration and tuckshop.
A huge thank you to Coolum State School Principal Anthony Ryan who, together with the P&C, parents and the wider community, has been working hard to get this project across the line.
Thanks also to those residents who raised concerns about the new lighting on David Low, installed as part of the pedestrian and safety upgrades at the Scrub Road intersection. I agree that something needs to be done.
The new lighting is nothing like what TMR had indicated, and last week I wrote to them to ask for it to be reconsidered. Not only is the lighting excessive and intrusive for neighbouring residents, it will also be very detrimental to the turtles that nest straight across the road at Coolum Beach.
I’m hopeful TMR will listen to the community’s feedback and act on it. Watch this space!