Newcastle councillors have approved in-principle traffic changes on Minmi Road, including a 40 km/h speed zone, speed humps, and a traffic light intersection, sparking strong opposition from some council members. The changes are part of developer Winten Property Group's conditions for Stage 4 of a housing estate on the city's western fringe.
Liberal councillor Callum Pull described the plan as "disastrous and awful," arguing that Minmi Road is a major arterial road and a key link to the M1 motorway. He warned that residents would be "up in arms" and criticized the decision to slow traffic near the highway connection.
Labor councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk, while voting in favor, expressed concerns about "endless absurdities" in the planning process. She noted that the high pedestrian activity zone seemed to be "reverse engineering" for an area with few homes and criticized the development as a "zombie concept" from poor planning decades ago.
The changes include a four-way T-intersection about 300 meters north of the existing roundabout, cycle lanes, speed humps, bus stops, street trees, and wide pathways. A concrete median with left-in, left-out restrictions will be installed at side streets, and pedestrians will cross at the traffic lights.
Transport for NSW will ultimately approve the new speed limit and intersection. Of 13 public submissions, nine objected, citing concerns about increased delays on Minmi Road from Fletcher to Minmi. Councillors have requested a workshop to review capacity studies for the road.
