A Lake Macquarie councillor has called for traffic lights to be installed at a Pacific Highway intersection and the state government's proposed upgrades that would restrict traffic movements out of Catherine Hill Bay and Cams Wharf to be scrapped.
Cr John Gilbert says planned changes to the Pacific Highway, Flowers Drive and Cams Wharf Road intersection would inconvenience local residents and fail to fix a "proven death-trap".
Planning documents show the developer of a proposed 221-lot subdivision in Catherine Hill Bay will be required to facilitate the upgrades should the estate go ahead.
The subdivision was proposed in 2017 but stalled due to water and sewer servicing issues. Revised plans are now under assessment by Lake Macquarie council.
Flowers Drive would become left-in left-out only, leaving motorists exiting the road unable to turn into the highway's northbound lanes.
They would be required to drive 1.5 kilometres south and turn into Nords Wharf Road - where a U-turn bay would be built - to then return to the highway's northbound lanes, or use Montefiore Street at the southern end of Catherine Hill Bay.
Cams Wharf Road would also be restricted to left-in, left-out and right-in only. Motorists would not be able to turn right into the highway's southbound lanes. They would have to drive along Crangan Bay Road and exit via Nords Wharf Road.
"It's ridiculous," Cr Gilbert said. "I drive that road twice a day, it's a shocker.
"If they're going to cut corners, all they'll do is risk someone's life.
"You can't have people coming from those large growing suburbs not being able to go in one specific direction.
"It needs to be a four-way signalised intersection."
Cr Gilbert said after he almost had a head-on collision "with a confused driver exiting Flowers Drive" in May last year, he began advocating to the council's traffic committee for the intersection to be improved.
The highway is a state road, while the adjoining roads are council's responsibility.
State crash data shows there were five crashes at the intersection in the five years to September 2018. There was also a fatal crash last August.
The Herald understands unless the intersection attracts state funds, the road upgrades will not go ahead until the yet-to-be-approved subdivision does. The developer chose not to comment but said they welcomed any upgrades to roads in the area.
Transport for NSW failed to answer to answer direct questions about the future upgrades, but said it was "developing a proposal to improve safety at the Pacific Highway and Flowers Drive intersection" to "address the immediate need to improve safety".
"We will consult with the community in coming months when a proposal has been prepared, which will help inform the next steps," it said.
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