Road fight over

By Alison Noonan
CRANBOURNE residents have at last reached an agreement with VicRoads over plans for the duplication of Sladen Street.
Members of the Sladen Park Residents’ Action Group had been battling with VicRoads since the middle of last year to change its designs for the intersection of O’Tooles Road and Sladen Street.
They claimed that traffic would be blocked from turning right into Cranbourne town centre from O’Tooles Road if traffic lights were installed at the Cemetery Road/Fairbairn Road intersection.
Residents feared that VicRoads was creating a traffic nightmare by forcing all traffic to turn left at busy O’Tooles Road, proceed to the inside of the west bound lane and make a u-turn at the new traffic lights.
However, VicRoads unveiled an alternative access option to concerned residents and Casey Council representatives during a public meeting last week.
Project manager of South Eastern Projects, Charlie Broadhurst, said residents were given a chance to decide on their preferred option for access arrangements off O’Tooles Road.
He said they “overwhelmingly” chose an option that included an additional u-turn access point approximately 50 metres west of O’Tooles Road.
“This will provide a more convenient access point for traffic exiting the Sladen Heights Estate from O’Tooles Road who wish to travel towards Cranbourne,” Mr Broadhurst said.
“Works on the Sladen Street duplication are expected to commence in mid-2006. The duplication will assist traffic flow in the area and provide the community with safe and improved access to local facilities.”
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford said the change was a win for residents and congratulated the Sladen Park Residents’ Action Group for its persistence in challenging VicRoads.
“It is a great team effort to have VicRoads change its original concept, which they don’t usually do.
“I think the new changes will go a long way to alleviating residents’ concerns,” he said.