Council & Business
9 August, 2024
Local roads set for upgrades
Multiple high risk roads and intersections in the Central Goldfields Shire will soon become safer for motorists, with millions set to be spent on essential improvements.
Over the next 18 months, road safety projects worth two million dollars will be rolled out in the shire to target dangerous conditions and reduce the likelihood of vehicle collisions.
These works are funded through the State Government’s Safe Local Roads and Streets program, delivered in partnership with the Traffic Accident Commission (TAC).
As part of the initiative, some of the sites deemed potentially unsafe, and in need of upgrades are:
Clarendon Street, Dundas Road and Palmerston Street in Maryborough — This location has two T-intersections near each other, creating potential confusion at the intersections.
The intersections have site dis-tance issues and reported speeding issues. There was one reported collision recorded at the site.
Napier Street and Brougham Street in Maryborough — The intersection connects to arterial roads (Pyrenees Highway to the north and Derby Road to the west) and is utilised as a shortcut into Maryborough’s Central Business District area.
Given the wide streets and the vehicle speeds along Napier Street, the intersection was deemed high risk for potential vehicle incidents.
Burns Street and Nolan Street intersection in Maryborough — The configuration of this large intersection has been identified as having the potential to create confusion due to the priority of the traffic movements through the intersection.
There are statistics from traffic counts showing drivers exceeding speed limits along Burns Street, making this a high-risk area for possible incidents and a hazard for pedestrians negotiating the intersection.
Avoca Road in Talbot — The section of road is a 100km/h local road which runs between Talbot and the Pyrenees Highway.
In the past 10 years, there have been two casualties and one fatality recorded along this section of road.
An independent traffic engineering consultant was appointed to assist in identifying which sites should be upgraded in line with the funding application requirements.
According to council, each project had to include the delivery of proven safety infrastructure improvements that were low cost but would decrease the risk of fatal and serious injuries on local roads.
These include zone reductions, construction of splitter islands, alterations to footpaths, creating roundabouts and new zebra crossings at locations.
With this additional and significant funding, mayor Liesbeth Long said, safety would be ensured for all road users.
“As a small rural council, having the funds needed to plan or deliver the safety improvements to reduce road accidents on local roads is really hard and a huge priority for council,” she said.
“That’s why we were stoked to be able to secure the TAC funding, as it will mean we can deliver a number of road safety improvements that will mean that our local roads and streets are as safe as possible for all, whether you are a motorist, vehicle passenger, cyclist or a pedestrian.”
Projects will be delivered in a staged approach over the coming 18 months — impacted residents, business owners and the wider community will be kept informed as projects are about to commence.