It is time for a community road safety conversation about Coolamon Scenic Drive, Mullumbimby to Ocean Shores.
As a resident of Coolamon Scenic Drive, I have become increasingly concerned about road safety along this important connection between Mullumbimby and Ocean Shores.
My concerns are not about reducing traffic or restricting use of the road – it is, after all, a public road used by residents, commuters, cyclists, pedestrians, school buses, visitors, and many others. The issue is the behaviour occurring on it.
Speeding, tailgating, unsafe overtaking, crossing the centre line, and cutting corners are regular concerns. There have also been numerous crashes and vehicles leaving the roadway over the years. For cyclists, pedestrians, and residents entering or leaving concealed driveways, the consequences of poor driving behaviour can be particularly serious.
I recently submitted a detailed road-safety submission to Byron Shire Council asking for the road to be formally reviewed, including traffic speed monitoring, crash data, enforcement, and possible engineering and safety improvements.
But this shouldn’t simply be one resident’s concern. Coolamon Scenic Drive is shared by a diverse community, and there will undoubtedly be differing opinions about the problems, their causes and what should be done.
So perhaps it is time for a broader community conversation.
Do you regularly use Coolamon Scenic Drive? Do you believe it has a road-safety problem – and, if so, what do you think needs to change?
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
