The planned KFC restaurant at Bulli would put around 100 extra vehicles onto what is already a traffic bottleneck.
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But a traffic study – which claims the restaurant will not be open in the mornings – suggests proposed alterations to the car park would improve vehicle flow on surrounding roads.
The restaurant, which has already sparked controversy in the northern suburbs, would be located in the Woolworths’ already existing shopping complex on the Princes Highway.
That stretch of the highway, from the Memorial Drive roundabout to the Park Road intersection, is prone to congestion especially during the morning and evening peaks.
The study, carried out by Chatswood firm Colston, Budd, Rogers and Kafes, confirms there would be an increase in traffic as a result of the development.
“Based on the Roads and Maritime Services Guidelines, the KFC would generate some 100 vehicles per hour (two way) in the weekday afternoon peak period,” the report stated.
Most of that would be in the vicinity of the Bulli CBD, which would see an increase of around 50 cars.
The study claims there would be no negative affect on morning traffic, citing “KFC is not open in the morning peak period”.
This flies in the face of the rest of the development application, which states the restaurant would be open 24 hours a day.
The traffic study claims that changing the existing entry-only access to the car park from Molloy Street to allow vehicles to leave as well, will reduce the level of local traffic using the highway to enter and leave the complex.
“This would allow better egress from the site to the residential precinct located on the eastern side of the railway and reduce traffic flows on the Princes Highway,” the report stated.
“All turning movements would be permitted at the Molloy Street access.”
In the afternoon peak, it estimated 105 vehicles would use the Molloy St exit instead of leaving via the highway.
While not listing how many extra vehicle movements a day the proposed restaurant would bring, the report stated that the highway and nearby intersections could handle it.
“In summary, the surrounding road network can cater for the additional traffic generated by the proposed development with surrounding intersections continuing to operate at satisfactory or better level of services,” it stated.
The Bulli Village Alliance is one of several groups opposing the development.
They claim “fast food restaurants like KFC create an average extra 2000 vehicle movements per day”.
Woolworths was contacted for comment over the traffic study’s claims the outlet would not be open in the morning but did not respond before deadline.