By Bridget Cook
LOCAL residents will soon be able to avoid the Lynbrook Heights Estate rat-run, thanks to the extension of Lynbrook Boulevard.
The Casey council has made provisions for the construction of Lynbrook Boulevard from the existing road through to the Hallam Road/Ormond Road intersection in the current 2011/12 Capital Works Program.
Currently, Lynbrook residents wanting to access the Hampton Park and Narre Warren South communities, and vice versa, have to go through residential streets, including Towerhill Boulevard and Livingstone Rise, in Lynbrook Heights or go a long way around.
City of Casey Councillor Amanda Stapledon said the Lynbrook Heights rat-run has been recognised as an issue for some time and the council has monitored traffic conditions in Towerhill Boulevard since 2003.
“The road network through this part of the estate, supported by the history of traffic survey data, results in traffic speeds that are typically at or within the speed limit. However, traffic volumes are trending well above desirable levels,” she said.
“It is expected the completion of the Lynbrook Boulevard and Hallam Road projects will reduce the need and desirability for motorists to rat-run through Lynbrook Heights Estate.”
Lynbrook resident Marea Bye welcomed the news.
“It will make for better access,” she said.
“I use the link to go to Hampton Park and Narre Warren Fountain Gate.
“You either have to go a long way out of your way, which crosses the very dangerous intersection on South Gippsland Highway and Lynbrook Boulevard, or you have to sit at the lights and there’s always a bank up of cars there.”
“Where people cut through the street, apparently there are a lot of hoons; I’ve seen the skid marks. I think it’s very dangerous.”
The actual intersection of Hallam and Ormond roads and the new Lynbrook Boulevard leg, is being delivered through the VicRoads Hallam Road Duplication (Pound Rd to Ormond Rd) Project.
The Lynbrook Boulevard extension has been a priority for the council for many years, however it was not within the council’s capacity to deliver the road connection and also upgrade the VicRoads intersection at Hallam and Ormond roads.
As soon as the State Government committed to the duplication of Hallam Road up to Ormond Road, Casey council co-ordinated delivery of the Lynbrook Boulevard extension to match in with VicRoads. The VicRoads duplication has a completion date of mid 2013. The City of Casey will not be able to open its component of the works to traffic until VicRoads have progressed the duplication and intersection upgrade to a point where it is safe and appropriate to have the additional traffic movements accessing Hallam Road.
