The notorious Hallam intersection still has a reminder of the loss of lives as traffic lights are installed at last. Picture: Stewart Chambers.
By Sarah Schwager
TRAFFIC lights have finally been installed at a notorious Hallam intersection.
The $1.7 million State Government project wrapped up last month after works started in the middle of the year.
The funding was announced late last year after continuous lobbying from Hampton Park’s Lynda Cartmill, whose husband was killed at the intersection in February 2005.
Numerous crashes, serious injuries and fatalities have been recorded as drivers attempted to merge into Hallam South Road from Empire Way and Keppel Drive.
The new traffic lights aim to alleviate the blind spot on Hallam South Road by making the traffic stop before turning.
Ms Cartmill said it was great that the lights had gone in and she hoped it would slow the traffic down and stop accidents occurring.
“It is too late for us. I’ve already lost my husband,” she said. “I just hope that for everyone that’s been injured there or who has lost a life it is some consolation.
“If I had anything to do with it, that’s great. I hope it’s some consolation that people will be a bit more careful now.”
However, Ms Cartmill said she was worried a new bus stop just after the lights would cause more traffic congestion, with drivers also having to watch out for merging buses after they hit the blind spot on Hallam South Road.
She was also disappointed that a driveway had not been built on Keppel Drive to stop further traffic pulling out of a group of factories onto Hallam South Road.
Ms Cartmill’s daughter has dance classes at the factories, located at the intersection, and said the traffic pulling out of the area caused even more traffic problems.
“They haven’t allowed for people coming in and out of those areas properly,” Ms Cartmill said.
“With the $1.7 million, they could have thought about it and put in a little extra money. For a few thousand extra dollars they could have put a driveway in.”
