WORK has started to upgrade a dangerous intersection in Curlewis, with the $2.5 million project to install traffic signals marking the end of a successful community campaign.<\/p>\n
Bellarine MP Lisa Neville made the commitment ahead of the 2018 election to signalise the intersection of Portarlington, Hermsley and Curlewis roads.<\/p>\n
The upgrade will include turning lanes for vehicles turning off Portarlington Road, designated bicycle lanes at the intersection, improved bus stops and new safety barriers.<\/p>\n
The realigned path for the nearby Bellarine Rail Trail will ensure safer and better access for vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, and the existing pedestrian crossing will be closed once the new traffic lights are switched on.<\/p>\n
On average, about 28,000 vehicles use Portarlington Road each day, with many drivers finding it difficult to safely enter from Hermsley and Curlewis roads, especially during peak times.<\/p>\n
Regional Roads Victoria began major works earlier this week, with lane closures and traffic management to be in place throughout construction.<\/p>\n
The entire upgrade is scheduled to be complete in the second half of this year.<\/p>\n
Labor Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney visited the intersection last week with Regional Roads Victoria\u2019s Vanessa Schernickau and Hermsley Road resident Steve Rose, who has been part of the campaign to improve safety at the intersection from the start.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy first letter to VicRoads, as it was called then, must have been at least 15 years ago,\u201d Mr Rose said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe thought \u2018we\u2019ve had enough\u2019 because a few of the locals have had really bad accidents here.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s probably been half a dozen locals who\u2019ve had accidents on this corner, and there\u2019s only 50 houses down Hermsley Road, so we\u2019re talking about one in eight people.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought \u2018it\u2019s just time we actually take the big step\u2019, and organised the residents on short notice for Easter Thursday in 2018, and they just turned up en masse; that\u2019s how passionate they were in relation to the issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a few meetings but we got the residents to keep contacting Lisa\u2019s office as well, individually, to keep the pressure on, and Lisa delivered.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Tierney – who is acting as the duty MP in Ms Neville\u2019s electorate – welcomed the start of construction.<\/p>\n
\u201cI commend the local community for their efforts in raising this matter and acknowledge Lisa Neville on strongly advocating for the upgrade of the intersection,\u201d Ms Tierney said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe state government has listened to the community\u2019s concerns, invested in this major intersection upgrade and now getting on with delivering it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re building new traffic lights at the intersection to improve safety for everyone \u2013 drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike.\u201d<\/p>\n
To keep track of this project or check out what other works are under way or planned in your area, head to the Regional Roads Victoria website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WORK has started to upgrade a dangerous intersection in Curlewis, with the $2.5 million project to install traffic signals marking the end of a successful community campaign. Bellarine MP Lisa Neville made the commitment ahead of the 2018 election to signalise the intersection of Portarlington, Hermsley and Curlewis roads. The upgrade will include turning lanes […]<\/p>\n