On the topic of planting trees along the street, i would have a preference for low flammabilty trees (ie no eucs, or pines)

Problems that I see with this idea…

1. Could not be used near the blind bends or the crest of the hill on lower WW rd.

2. Won’t necessarily stop the “playing chicken” behaviour of some less considerate road users and may even lead to more of this ie people not giving way.

On the positive side, it might make it easier to cross the road in some places as we would only have to cross one lane. And it could, as Sarah suggests, beautify the street as long as appropriate trees were planted.

Could we consider a combination of the 2 ideas??

Michelle

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Instead of speed humps I think you could have small rounded extensions of the verge/footpath , that stick out into the road, coming out slightly more than a parked car but less than a lane width, at either end of a parking area (or you could put them closer together, so the area that is sort of permantly for parking is not too large, but the current parking areas outside this newly created area are also still available, its just that when cars are not parked there this area outside the verge extension once again becomes part of the road). 
 
A single tree could be planted in them, so visibility is not too reduced, but it is clearly visible as an extension of the roadside area, and a one lane zone.  Could be done all along waterworks road here and there, with regard to where parking currently is, line of sight, footpath width etc.

Advantages
1. will greatly slow down all traffice as they get to one lane areas and have to consider whether the are able to go, or if they have to give way, and communicates clearly to road users that this is a multiple use community area, (rather than a speed hump which just says “slow down” with no explanation given),

2. will greatly increase the width of the area available for ‘non car’ activities ie the area between the verge extensions remains available for pedestrian use as they are not at all easily used as a lane when cars are not parked there,

3. will not reduce parking areas as much as speed humps

4. will not actually narrow the road, as it is CURRENTLY one lane in many of these spaces anyway…it would just formalise what is what, and probbaly even make it easier to negotiate who gives way to whom,

5. will not add any visual pollution to the street, whereas speed humps will need quite a number of new signs and paint on road adn the bumps themselves,

6. in fact they could be quite pretty, could fit with waterworks theme of semi natural plantings of natives,

7. precedents set in other areas, eg north hobart, and centre of town (used to create the parking spaces, not to create one lane areas)

8. currently drivers play ‘chicken’ as sometimes it is not clear who gives way and where, and some parking areas are not so great.So wioll force clarification of these issues

9. Targa cars wont be concerned about scraping over speed humps…realise this may not be an advantage to all residents

Disadvantages
1. would have to be careful where you put them, would need to make sure it worked safely for the drivers..ie have to have good line of sight past them, and for length, also if too far apart then they will be used as part of the road again, when no cars are parked in them, (although maybe marked parking spaces would help?)

2. think it would prob not work as well as it could unless you also  had the road at a 40kph speed limit (which oculd be good too)

3. prob adds (all of) 5 seconds to a trip along waterworks road, maybe 10 tops

If anybody wishes to contact Sarah to discuss this idea you can do so via Sam Stark – Email: mziegler@bigpond.com