Key points
Upgrades to Essington Lewis Avenue near the Whyalla Hospital will:
- Almost double parking adjacent the hospital, enabling safer access
- Contribute to improving stormwater management and median irrigation
- Create underground linkages between medians, allowing for future upgrades without impacting the road surface
- Contribute to reducing flooding issues on Wood Terrace
- Create a more even surface
Residents need to be aware of changed conditions, particularly reduced speeds and congestion
The work should be complete by the end of November, with resealing occurring in early 2021
Whyalla City Council is undertaking significant upgrades to Essington Lewis Avenue near the Whyalla Hospital, aiming to improve safety and increase parking for the community.
To help counter regular parking congestion adjacent to the hospital, council will almost double the amount of parking spaces available by introducing angle parking and reducing the size of the median strips.
Council’s Senior Projects Manager Markus Dunatov said this would not only provide added convenience, but also improve safety.
“Providing more adjacent parks helps reduce the need for people to cross the street – minimising the risk from interacting with traffic – which is particularly important given the number of elderly and unwell residents that visit the hospital,” Mr Dunatov said.
“The work will also provide the added benefit of channelling and trapping more stormwater within the median strips. This aims to assist in both reducing irrigation needs and the likelihood of excess water gathering on Wood Terrace, which has created flooding issues in the past.”
Given the scale of the project, Mr Dunatov urged residents to be mindful of the changed conditions and to proceed with caution through the area.
“There will be a large number of workers and heavy machinery in the area, so motorists need to slow down to 25km/h and remain alert at all times,” he said.
“Pedestrians should also remain vigilant given the amount of activity that will be ongoing.”
Work has already commenced at the northern end of Essington Lewis Avenue, with work to start near the hospital grounds by the end of October. This will start on the western side (opposite the hospital) before progressing to the eastern side (adjacent the hospital).
The work will be carried out one median strip at a time, meaning parking opposite each strip undergoing work may be impacted / reduced.
Residents are reminded they can still park within the hospital grounds; on Cudmore Terrace; and on the western side of Essington Lewis Avenue while these upgrades are underway.
All of Essington Lewis Avenue – from McBryde Terrace to Elliott Street – will also be resealed in early 2021, helping address the current uneven surface and providing a longer life for this asset.
