Sonja Bertram, Andrew Dolan, Jenny Mallinson and Robin Dzedins are frustrated that promised works to construct a roundabout at the notorious South Gippsland Highway/Baxter-Tooradin Road intersection are yet to commence despite numerous accidents. Picture: Meagan Trotter.By Alison Noonan
CASEY residents are still waiting for promised safety improvements at one of the city’s worst black spots.
VicRoads is yet to start work on the notorious South Gippsland Highway/Baxter-Tooradin Road intersection, more than six months after announcing it would allocate $2.66 million to the project.
The roads authority proposed to change the current T intersection to a large roundabout in a bid to reduce the alarming number of accidents.
There has been a string of fatalities and 24 crashes causing injury at the intersection in the past five years.
Balla Balla Ward councillor Colin Butler told last week’s council meeting that construction of the roundabout was behind schedule and it would not be ready before Christmas as hoped.
“This intersection is notorious for accidents. There was an accident there just last weekend,” Cr Butler said.
“We need this roundabout. It was promised to us six months ago and they haven’t even let the tender yet.”
Cr Butler said he was concerned about the increased potential for more accidents during the festive season.
“Cars are already banking up at the intersection and accidents happen when people won’t wait.
“Unfortunately we won’t have the roundabout for Christmas. I just cross my fingers there won’t be any more fatalities,” he said.
Cr Butler welcomed council’s willingness to participate in a joint funding venture with VicRoads for public lighting at the intersection.
Councillors last week agreed to refer $50,000 for consideration from the 2006/07 capital works program budget as its contribution to cost-shared lighting. “We certainly need this intersection lit up,” Cr Butler said.
VicRoads Acting Regional Manager Metro South East Region, Rob Gilpin, said redesign works to improve the safety of the roundabout had caused the construction delay.
He said work would now start in February and be completed by September.
“While works were initially scheduled to begin before the end of 2005, a detailed review of the preliminary design found that it was necessary to substantially modify the design to enable the safe movement of traffic during the construction work,” Mr Gilpin said.
“Unfortunately, the redesign work has meant that the earliest opportunity to advertise the contract was October 2005, causing a delay in the construction schedule.”
