Safety boost at Herne Hill intersection

UPGRADES to improve pedestrian safety on Minerva Road and Church Street in Herne Hill have been completed.

The improvements installed include raised pedestrian crossings, footpath widening to create a safer area for students waiting for buses, a raised intersection to slow vehicle speeds, upgraded street lighting, reflective pavement markers and upgraded line markings, as well as additional parking bays.

Traffic signal changes are expected to be completed within the next three months, and the speed on Minerva Road between Church and Douglas streets has also been permanently reduced to 40km/h.

The City of Greater Geelong sought community feedback on the design of the safety upgrades on Minerva Road and Church Street between October and November last year, with more than 160 individuals contributing their thoughts to the project.

Cr Eddy Kontelj thanked the community for providing valuable feedback and said the final design addressed the concerns raised by the community.

“This is a busy area with many schools, shops and community facilities in the one location so it’s really important that it’s as safe as possible for pedestrians and road users,” he said.

“Thank you to the Herne Hill and Manifold Heights community for showing understanding and patience throughout the construction phase.”

The project, worth about $618,000, was fully funded by the federal government as part of its Black Spot Program, aimed at reducing the occurrence of serious injuries and fatalities at sites where there has been a history of accidents.

The Minerva Road and Church Street pedestrian sites were selected as priority areas for improvements in the 2023-2024 iteration of the program, along with two other projects in Grovedale and Mount Duneed.

Deputy Prime Minister and Corio MP Richard Marles said the federal government remained committed to improving road safety across the country.

“The Black Spot Program funding is a great outcome for Geelong and will continue to improve safety in our community,” Mr Marles said.