Armidale Dumaresq’s strategic projects director David Steller told councillors on Wednesday the state government had offered to partly fund the roundabout as a safety measure.

“But that’s like being half-pregnant; it was not a full-sized roundabout and not fully funded,” Mr Steller said.

“I was concerned it was a half-baked measure.”

Mr Steller was responding to a question about pedestrian safety posed by Rob Richardson.

He had asked for a status update on plans to install a roundabout at the busy intersection.

“I’m concerned because there is nowhere to cross Marsh Street safely, from Ben Venue right down to the Wicklow Hotel,” Cr Richardson said.

The distance is about 1.2 kilometres.

Cr Richardson said the bid for a roundabout at the intersection dated back several years.

Council has secured some funding from the state government for the roundabout, however, it needs to be matched. Officers had mulled installing  a pedestrian refuge opposite Moxon’s Bakery, but that was opposed by nearby businesses.

Cr Richardson said he agreed with Mr Steller that, if a roundabout were installed, it would need to be “someting substantial”.

“But Marsh Street is becoming busier, so I’d like to see the issue addressed in the near future.”