RRV to host info session about notorious intersection

REGIONAL Roads Victoria will host a community information session in May about plans to install traffic lights at the intersection of Portarlington Road and Hermsley Road in Curlewis.

It has been almost a year since residents met with a representative from Bellarine MP Lisa Neville’s office about the “difficult and treacherous” intersection they face on a daily basis.

About 40 locals turned out at the intersection on March 29, 2018 to share their personal accounts and frustrations.

“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.

Another 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.

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

Since that meeting, local resident David Thomson has launched the “Better Traffic Management at Hermsley/Curlewis Roads Intersection” petition on change.org, and Ms Neville pledged $2.5 million to fix the intersection last November if her Labor Government was re-elected.

While local residents have welcomed the update, they still question why there needs to be community consultations when Regional Roads Victoria should just get on with construction.

Ms Neville said last year that locals would get a chance to have their say on the upgrades through the design process.

“We look forward to sharing all the details of this session with the community soon,” a Regional Roads Victoria spokesperson said.