Residents demand traffic lights at dangerous intersection

CURLEWIS residents are campaigning for traffic lights to be installed at a “difficult and treacherous” intersection they face on a daily basis.

The residents say several accidents have already occurred at the intersection of Portarlington and Hermsley roads, and that it’s only a matter of time before someone dies.

About 40 locals met at the intersection last week to share their personal accounts and frustrations, which were forwarded to Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville.

“The confusion as to who has right of way at the intersection is caused by the fact there are a possible 14 different options that cars can travel through the intersection,” one resident said.

Local Steve Rose said with the increased traffic flow on Portarlington Road as a result of the residential growth in Jetty Road in Drysdale, the intersection was becoming a very dangerous crossing point.

“The approved Drysdale bypass will only add to the amount of traffic using Portarlington Road,” Mr Rose said.

“With the recent opening of the Curlewis Golf Club driving range, you now have cars doing U-turns at this intersection to go back to the entrance of the driving range.”

One resident said Hermsley Road was used by farm machinery and semi-trailers, which made it near impossible and unsafe for these vehicles to turn from Hermsley Road onto Portarlington Road, as they could not cross halfway into the intersection.

Mr Rose said residents had many stories to tell of near misses, minor accidents, dangerous risk taking and trying to get out in peak hour.

“There was a woman who was involved in an accident five years ago there as she was crossing back after dropping her son to catch the school bus,” he said.

“Her car was written off but luckily, she was not injured, nor were the occupants of the other car.

“It could so easily have been worse, she either could have been badly injured or killed.

“All of the residents think of this every time one of our young adult children leaves home and has to go through the intersection.”

When residents raised their concerns with Ms Neville back in 2006, VicRoads installed lights at the rail trail just east of the intersection and installed a light sensor pad in Hermsley Road.

But residents say the pedestrian lights are of little to no use because they’re rarely used, and do nothing to stop the flow of traffic coming from Geelong.

Ms Neville said she would ask VicRoads as a priority to re-examine the operation of the lights and the sensor pad.