Local concerned bypass will give trees the chop

CLIFTON Springs resident Neil McGuinness says he is concerned about 100 mature trees being cut down to construct three new sets of traffic lights along the Drysdale Bypass.

A retired mechanical engineer with 40 years’ experience, Mr McGuinness said he was also concerned that vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists (such as students walking or cycling to school) would be directed through these extremely busy signalised intersections that would be subject to sun glare at peak periods.

“My investigation of the available evidence shows that, in addition to destroying the pleasant ambience of the entrance to our township, these signalised intersections will result in more traffic congestion, more pollution, increased travel times and an increase in the number of injuries to motorists, to pedestrians and to cyclists,” he said.

“They will also incur an unnecessarily high construction cost and ongoing maintenance.”

Mr McGuinness said Drysdale and Clifton Springs traffic would have to pass through three new signalised intersections in order to travel the 1.5 km from Lake Lorne Reserve to Leura Park. “VicRoads’ own analysis predicts that there will be average delays of 32 seconds at the first, 42 seconds at the second and 29 seconds at the third,” he said.

“This is a total delay of 103 seconds whereas, with the alternative well-designed roundabout option, VicRoads predicts delays of nine seconds or less.”

Mr McGuinness has been lobbying Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan to adopt an “Evidence Based Approval Process” for new road infrastructure to ensure the safety and efficiency of Victoria’s roads.