The last time Wollongong councillor Leigh Colacino spoke to his friend Brett Harris, the Stanwell Park man expressed his deep concerns about the danger of his suburb's roads.
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"He and I discussed what could be done to lower the risk of a pedestrian and car accident happening in the area," Cr Colacino said.
"He was very concerned that someone might crash into his house, or that a child might be hit on the side of the road.
"I said 'Don't worry, we'll get it sorted out', but I didn't know that would be the last time I'd have a conversation with him."
Mr Harris was hit and killed by an out-of-control ute which crashed into his house where he lived near the corner of Railway Crescent and Lawrence Hargrave Drive on November 18.
Cr Colacino said it was an "awful irony" that someone who was so concerned about the safety of pedestrians in his suburb had died in these circumstances.
It's really horrible that it's often the result of a death that something like this is changed, but it's a legacy - it has to be known of as Brett's legacy or Brett's law or something like that.
While he doesn't believe anything could have prevented the tragic run of events that caused Mr Harris's death (it was reported that the driver of the ute had a medical episode before driving through the front fence and onto the porch where Mr Harris was out sweeping), Cr Colacino hopes his new bid to make changes to the traffic rules in Stanwell Park will act as a legacy.
On Monday night, he will ask councillors to support an urgent push to investigate ways the council can install speed bumps, blisters and side barriers along the roads where the crash occurred.
He will also seek to lower the speed limit on all streets in Stanwell Park to 40 km/h, including the Lawrence Hargrave Drive slip road leading to Stanwell Park shops - but not the main Lawrence Hargrave Drive as this is controlled by the NSW Government.
Cr Colacino will ask that councillors be briefed on these plans as soon as possible, so that works can be included in the council's 2021/22 works schedule.
He said the lower speed limit and traffic calming measures would be designed to prevent other accidents.
With more and more tourists driving through the northern suburbs, he said the council needed to protect residents of the coastal village any way it could.
"The trouble with visitors is that some of them are unaware what is around the next corner, and they don't know that kids play hopscotch or ride their bikes and play cricket on the sides of the road," Cr Colacino said.
"The real concern for Brett and myself was for a child getting hurt, because they are smaller and less aware of what sort of evasive action might be taken - there's nowhere for people to get away from a possible situation with a car.
"It's really horrible that it's often the result of a death that something like this is changed, but it's a legacy - it has to be known of as Brett's legacy or Brett's law or something like that.
"Brett's passing was a catalyst to make this happen - I hope this is what he was after - because wouldn't it be great if a tragedy could lead to something positive for this village."
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