Disclosed Expense for Altering Controversially Shaped Traffic Circle, Known as Australia's 'Most Inadequate', Unveiled
In the heart of Austral, western Sydney, a controversial roundabout, colloquially known as the "Diamondabout", has been replaced with give-way signs following its swift removal less than a week after its opening on June 20. The roundabout, which cost approximately $140,000 to install and remove, became a subject of worldwide ridicule and was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.
The roundabout, initially designed as an oval, underwent amendments that led to a non-standard diamond layout being approved in February. The design was a collaboration between Transport for NSW, the council's design team, and its traffic committee. However, the oddly shaped intersection at Twenty Eighth Avenue and Fifteenth Avenue caused confusion among drivers, with aerial footage capturing awkward maneuvers, including three-point turns to clear the sharp corners.
The project, which was installed after residents petitioned for safety improvements to the congested Fifteenth Avenue corridor, has since become a fiasco. Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns have pledged $1 billion to transform the road into a state-owned transit corridor, indicating a shift away from traffic-calming devices like the roundabout.
The controversy surrounding the roundabout has not gone unnoticed. Liverpool City Council is currently under scrutiny, with the NSW Office of Local Government conducting an inquiry into allegations of dysfunction, maladministration, and mishandling of state grants. Officials were warned about potential compliance issues as early as October 2020, but the project still went ahead.
Councillor Peter Ristevski, a vocal critic of the project, has expressed concerns about the waste of ratepayers' money and the embarrassment the fiasco has caused, not just Liverpool but Sydney as a whole. However, a spokesperson for the council has promised that lessons have been learned from the roundabout incident, and improvements to how the council plans and delivers future traffic projects are already being shaped by these lessons.
The findings from the investigation into the roundabout incident will be tabled at Wednesday's council meeting, shedding light on the circumstances leading to its installation and removal. As the dust settles, the focus shifts towards the much-anticipated upgrades to the Fifteenth Avenue corridor, earmarked for major improvements ahead of the opening of Western Sydney Airport. The authority responsible for the installation and removal of the roundabout, the New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), remains silent on the matter.
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