A footpath could be constructed beside a winding edge-of-town road where a teenager was fatally struck by a vehicle late at night.
Local authorities have confirmed they are considering building a path on the nature strip by Image Flat Road at Nambour.
A 16-year-old teenager, Ben Hunter, died after being hit by a hatchback on the road on June 25, 2023, at about 11.50pm.
A cross, flowers, photos and rugby league balls are roadside tributes to the former Nambour Crushers player.
Local resident Craig Hickson is among those to call for a path to ensure the safety of locals.
“Since the death of a pedestrian on Image Flat Road, it has had me attempting to get council to spend some of the money on a footpath for this area,” he said.
Mr Hickson said many people walk near the gutter, on the road, because the nature strip is rough and uneven.
“I have seen families pushing prams and one old person with a walking frame,” he said.
“The grass verges, in many areas, are not very well kept and there are many obstacles.
“That’s part of the reason the grass area isn’t used, plus pushing a pram or walker on the grass is difficult.”
He said there is very little space on a bridge on Image Flat Road.
“If I’m walking across the bridge, I do so at a quick pace as traffic comes down the hill quite fast. It is a 60km/h zone but the speeds, at times, I’d guess are a lot faster,” he said.
“While council spends millions nearer to the coast, this area is left behind and unsafe.”
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Mr Hickson, who has lived in the area for about 30 years, said the neighbourhood was now a hive of activity.
“The area at the bottom of Image Flat Road, near Imagination Drive, is an area of newer homes with many young families that walk and run around the area using Image Flat Road,” he said.
“Image Flat Road is a busy road, with domestic vehicles and large trucks due to the local quarry.”
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson said requests submitted to council, regarding a pathway, bus shelters and mowing, were being looked at.
“The pathway and bus shelter proposals have been included in council’s capital works program and will continue to be assessed alongside other projects.”
“Although funding has not yet been allocated, they remain under consideration as budgets and priorities are reviewed each year.”
There have been six reported crashes on Image Flat Road during the past five years, including the tragic incident in 2023.
Queensland Police stated that Ben was walking on the road and was struck from behind by a hatchback travelling south. The teenager sustained critical injuries and was conveyed to Nambour Hospital, however, succumbed to those injuries soon after.
The driver of the hatchback was uninjured. The incident was investigated by the Forensic Crash Unit and the driver was not charged.
Data last collected in 2023 showed that about 1580 vehicles used the road per day.
The speed limit is 60km/h south of the quarry and 80km/h to the north.
The road is a two-way, undivided carriageway, with lane widths generally ranging from 2.8m to 3.5m. Some sections have minimal or no sealed shoulders, while others have sealed shoulders up to 2.8m wide.
The spokesperson said the road pavement is “appropriate” and there ware safety features along the road, including advisory and advance warning signage for curves and intersections, centreline and edge line markings, guidepost and raised reflective pavement markers. Several bridges and culverts are fitted with guiderails to protect road users.
The aerial imagery in this story is from Australian location intelligence company Nearmap. The company provides government organisations, architectural, construction and engineering firms, and other companies, with easy, instant access to high-resolution aerial imagery, city-scale 3D content, artificial intelligence data sets, and geospatial tools to assist with urban planning, monitoring and development projects in Australia, New Zealand and North America.
