FAQs

High Pedestrian Activity Areas (HPAA) are sections of road where the maximum speed limit is 40km/h at all times due to heavy interaction between vehicles and pedestrians. They may be near shopping strips, beachfronts, and medical centres. To increase pedestrian safety, HPAAs include traffic calming measures to support compliance with speed reduction. They also involve signage and road markings to alert drivers and increase awareness of pedestrian activity.

The proposed HPAA aims to improve safety in busy areas like The Esplanade and Military Road where there is high foot traffic near shops, schools, and beaches. Lowering the speed limit to 40 km/h reduces the risk and severity of accidents, making it safer for all road users. The changes will create a safer, more pedestrian-friendly environment while maintaining traffic flow.

The proposed HPAA will include the construction of four (4) traffic calming devices across The Esplanade and Military Road to improve driver and pedestrian safety. To alert drivers entering the HPAA, signage and pavement markings will be placed on both sides of the carriageway to indicate the reduced speed zone. 

The Esplanade:

• A raised platform (Intersection of The Esplanade and Awaba Street) will be constructed, incorporating the existing pedestrian crossing.
• A raised crossing (Near Raglan Street) with a kerb buildout will replace the existing pedestrian crossing to improve visibility for both pedestrians and drivers. 
• A speed cushion (Near Plunkett Road) will be installed to reduce vehicle speeds when approaching the HPAA.

Military Road:

• A raised pedestrian crossing (Between Almora Street and Gouldsbury Street) will be installed to improve pedestrian safety. This will result in the removal of six on-street parking spaces.

Both proposals will involve new signage being installed.

The proposed HPAAs include:

• Military Road, stretching from Spit Junction to Centenary Circle and including the school zones of Belmont Road, Gladstone Avenue, and Avenue Road.
• The Esplanade, including the school zones of Mandalong Road, Waitovu Street, Raglan Street, and Esther Road.

Military Road in Mosman Junction and The Esplanade on Balmoral Beach were selected for the proposed HPAA because they experience high pedestrian activity throughout the day and into the night. Shops, restaurants, residential buildings, and the beach front mean these areas attract many people, making pedestrian safety a key priority.

Within the proposed HPAAs, speed limits will be reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h at all times.

Lower speeds provide drivers with more time to react and stop, reducing the frequency and severity of crashes. According to Transport for NSW, a pedestrian hit by a vehicle at 40 km/h has twice the chance of surviving compared to being hit at 50 km/h.

The existing school zones in Mosman Junction on Belmont Road, Gladstone Avenue, and Avenue Road and in Balmoral on Mandalong Road, Waitovu Street, Raglan Street, and Esther Road will be included in the proposed HPAA. This means that the 40km/h speed limits will apply even outside of school hours. 

Signs like these are used to clearly define the beginning of a 40km/h zone:

Signs like this are installed on each exit road from the zone:

The construction of a raised pedestrian crossing on Military Road, between Almora Street and Gouldsbury Street, will result in a loss of six (6) on street parking spaces.

There are no other losses of parking spaces as a result of the proposal nor changes to existing parking restrictions.