Imagine driving down your own street and constantly fearing a collision or property damage simply because the road isn't wide enough. For the residents and regular users of Bayou Avenue in Dubbo, this is an everyday reality.

Currently, the median island on Bayou Avenue is disproportionately massive. While a median can be a nice feature, this one takes up so much of the road reserve that it chokes the drivable carriageway on both sides. The result? A road that is dangerously narrow and completely unsuited for standard two-way traffic, residential parking, and driveway access.

This isn't just an inconvenience; it is a serious safety hazard for our community.

The Dangers We Face Every Day:

 Collision Risks: The narrow lanes force moving vehicles dangerously close to parked cars and pedestrians, leading to near-misses and side-swipe accidents.

 Blocked Emergency Access: Firetrucks, ambulances, and even routine waste collection trucks struggle to navigate the street safely. Standard emergency access requires adequate clearance, which Bayou Avenue currently lacks.

 Impossible Parking Conditions: Under NSW Road Rules, vehicles parked on a road must leave at least 3 metres of clear roadway for passing traffic. Because of the oversized median, residents and visitors cannot park legally without blocking traffic or forcing drivers dangerously close to the kerb.

 Failing Safety Standards: The current setup conflicts with the national Austroads Guide to Road Design, which mandates minimum lane widths to keep our neighborhoods safe.

We shouldn't have to wait for a severe accident or a delayed emergency response for this to be fixed. Our local infrastructure should protect residents, not put them at risk.

What We Are Asking the Dubbo Regional Council to Do:

1. Conduct an Immediate Safety Audit: Send traffic engineers to assess the hazardous lane widths and parking constraints on Bayou Avenue.

2. Redesign the Road: Reduce the width of the oversized median island and reallocate that space to the actual drivable road.

3. Restore Safety & Compliance: Ensure the street meets NSW traffic safety standards, allowing for safe residential parking and unobstructed emergency vehicle access.

By signing this petition, you are telling the Dubbo Regional Council that our community’s safety must come first. Let’s fix the design flaw on Bayou Avenue before it’s too late.

Sign and share this petition to demand a safer road for our neighborhood!