The Camden Haven Chamber of Commerce supports a pedestrian crossing on Bold Street linking Coles and the pharmacy.
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Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is planning to start the works in May 2019.
However, the chamber says it will continue to "be forceful" with council in bringing the start date for the works forward.
Chamber president Sue East says a recent major accident in the area should not be repeated.
"I think this has taken a long time to get to this point," she said.
"The chamber would like to see this work started earlier.
"The funding was allocated in March 2018, so it will be some 14 months before the work actually gets started.
"The chamber appreciates that council has a lot of stakeholders involved in the process - Essential Energy, consultants, staff and business."
Ms East said the chamber had been negotiating with council for some time on the crossing.
She said the chamber had seen concept or design plans on the location.
"At this point, I don't believe the final location is set in concrete," she added.
Ms East said the sheer number of prescriptions filled at the pharmacy on a daily basis was important to remember in discussions about planning and placement for the crossing.
It needs to be recognised that we have an elderly population in the Camden Haven, particularly in the Laurieton area.
- Sue East
"Personally, it needs to be recognised that we have an elderly population in the Camden Haven, particularly in the Laurieton area," she said.
"To me the pharmacy is almost an essential service for our population in that area; it should be dealt with as such.
"We are concerned about the safety aspect of that particular area, given it has high foot traffic."
The chamber president said there had already been one major accident in the area.
"We don't want to see another one," she said.
"The chamber will continue to be forceful with council on behalf of the community to have this work done more quickly.
"There are also safety concerns in regards to the location too. We want people to actually use the crossing rather than just ambling across the road to get where they want."
Ms East said the chamber first raised the need for the pedestrian crossing in the 1980s.
Meanwhile chamber is continuing to host business network events for chamber members and the wider business community.
Ms East said the events had been well received.
The chamber is continuing to work with chamber on several projects including the traffic management study and the upgrade of the Tunis Street boat ramp.
The Camden Haven Chamber of Commerce includes business from Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills,to Johns River and Comboyne.
"We want to be of assistance to all businesses in our area," Ms East said.