Cessnock City Councillor Ian Olsen is at risk of receiving his sixth censure after being critical of the slow progress made by the council to address issues surrounding the infamous DOT, a painted roundabout that has become a major headache for the local community.
The DOT which cost $950,000 party funded by a government grant which is believed to be the most expensive painted roundabout in the state if not the world, was part of a larger CBD project aimed at creating a bustling shared zone where businesses, pedestrians, and motorists could coexist and thrive. However, since its construction, the DOT has been nothing but an absolute disaster.
The shared zone was constructed with pavers and a painted roundabout, but the council failed to restrict heavy vehicles from using the zone. As a result, buses and trucks have caused damage to the pavers, which have cracked and broken in some areas and have had to be filled with road base. The painted roundabout has also faded, with tyre tracks all over it. Drivers and pedestrians are often confused about who has the right of way, leading to daily near misses.
Frustrated with the lack of progress in fixing the problem, Councillor Olsen took to Facebook to voice his concerns, revealing that 12 months ago, the council had approved $100,000 for a report on how to fix the area, but to date, no report has been returned to the council.
Posting photos of the DOT from January 6 and the present day, Councillor Olsen wrote: “Only change is it’s getting worse. As you can see, more tiles are failing, and it’s going to cost more to repair. I cannot understand why or how it takes so long. I ask the questions every resident wants answers to, and you wonder why I get censured.”
Councillor Olsen has previously been censured five times by the council for his outspoken criticism of council decisions and policies. It remains to be seen whether he will face further censure for his latest comments.