Sometime in 2017 - when Mosman becomes part of the Greater Manly Council

A Prediction        

by  Greg Sommers

Residents of the area, formerly known as Mosman, have been asking whether the rat run that has long been closed on Awaba Street, will be re-opened by the Greater Manly Council?

A photo of the Awaba Street dead end  (attached 

for archive purposes.)

A renowned futurologist, was recently asked for his views on this question.  Here is what he had to say:

Based on the Spit Junction Masterplan of 2012, Greater Manly Council will adopt a new LEP allowing 8-10 storey buildings on the arterial roads of Mosman. This is pretty much a given. Please excuse me for referring to South Manly as Mosman. I keep slipping back into the old name for this area. 

    Traffic congestion will increase significantly in South Manly due to the influx of hundreds of new vehicles into the area, courtesy of the building of high rise apartments.    The bulk of residents of Greater Manly however live north of the Spit Bridge which makes South Manly their major thoroughfare to the city, eastern suburbs and inner west.

    The majority will win this battle and it is highly likely that the  councillors representing South Manly, 20% will be unable to influence the 80% of other councillors. 

He was then asked how would such congestion be dealt with. Surely the Government has some plan?

    Yes, the Government has a plan; but that plan has nothing to do with the lower north shore. New road or rail infrastructure is not a goer for the lower north shore. The poles and powerline billions will be spent in the west.
 As such you don't need a crystal ball to see that traffic congestion on Military and Spit Road is likely to worsen.
    Something has to give and more rat runs will need to be created. My view is that it is inevitable that Awaba Street will have to be unblocked to allow cars to race up Awaba Street all the way to Macpherson Street to help relieve   traffic congestion on Military and Spit Roads.

     After all a bit of pain for South Manly will be acceptable for the good of most of the residents of Greater Manly.


This ominous prediction completed the interview.

    My prediction is supported by the Duncan Gay decision in respect of the Beauty Point Rat Run. The closure of that rat run wasn't even allowed to go to the full length of the trial closure.

    There is also a good chance that this rat run will be made a permanent rat run available twenty for hours a day.