The dangerous zebra crossing outside Coledale Public School will be gone by the end of the summer holidays.
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In its place will be a set of traffic lights at the Lawrence Hargrave Drive and Rawson Street intersection.
The Coledale community has campaigned for improvements to the intersection for more than a decade, due to concerns about safety.
In April last year, 74-year-old Frank Honiball died when a Ford Falcon hit him as he was crossing at the marked pedestrian crossing, which is situated on a rise.
Following an investigation of the site last year by Roads and Maritime Services, Heathcote MP Lee Evans announced the installation of the traffic lights on Thursday.
“The NSW government allocated $620,000 for the lights in response to safety concerns raised by the community,” Mr Evans said.
“The existing pedestrian crossing next to Coledale Public School will be replaced by pedestrian activated traffic lights to improve the visibility of pedestrians and provide a safer crossing.
“Safety for motorists will also be improved when turning out of Rawson Street.’’
The lights will give priority to traffic on Lawrence Hargrave Drive, unless a vehicle is detected waiting on Rawson Street or a pedestrian has pressed the button to cross.
In addition, the footpath will be redesigned to provide more room for pedestrians.
Work on the lights will take place during the Christmas school holidays.
Coledale Public School P&C vice-president Annie McNamara said the existing crossing was located on a rise which made it hard to see for traffic travelling north or south.
The increase in traffic – some of which did not obey the school speed limit – compounded the problem.
‘‘I know even our lollipop lady has been almost run over so many times, and she’s got fluoro gear on,’’ Ms McNamara said.
‘‘They drive straight through when she’s there sometimes.’’
Ms McNamara said she and her son had had a near miss while crossing the road.
She had to push her son off the road as two cars ran into each other and a motorcycle went under one of them.
Ms McNamara believed the lights would make crossing the road safer for students, those heading to the beach or shops and the visitors to the popular monthly markets at the school.
‘‘I know some people will be in two minds about the idea of having traffic lights in little old Coledale but the road is just too busy, we’ve had one death and too many near misses,’’ she said.
