Work continues on plans for intersection upgrade

WORK is continuing on a proposal to make safety improvements to the intersection of Surfcoast Highway, Reserve Road and Felix Street in Grovedale.

The busy intersection will be upgraded with new traffic signals, making it safer for vehicles turning right out of the side roads onto the Surf Coast Highway.

Other improvements will include pedestrian-operated crossing signals, street lighting upgrades to improve visibility and safety for pedestrian, cyclists and drivers; and modified existing turning lanes to allow vehicles to queue safely at the intersection.

There will also be a link to the traffic signals from the nearby Grovedale CFA Fire Station, to enable safe and efficient emergency vehicle access out of Reserve Road.

According to Regional Roads Victoria (RRV), there were seven crashes at this intersection in the five years from July 1. 2014 to June 30, 2019 , with two resulting in serious injuries and five in minor injuries.

Identified risks at this intersection include:

A high volume of traffic turning right from Reserve Road towards Geelong across four lanes of traffic – leading to driver frustration, congestion and often risky behaviour

Traffic turning right from Felix Street towards Torquay across four lanes of traffic

Vehicles queuing in the middle of the dual highway blocking traffic on Surfcoast Highway while they wait for a safe opportunity to turn right, and

Difficulties for pedestrians to cross the road

RRV states that in Victoria, 28 per cent of deaths and 41 per cent of serious injuries are caused by intersection crashes.

This project is funded by the $97.2 million federal and Victorian governments’ Targeted Road Safety Works stimulus program, which aims to deliver shovel-ready infrastructure and road safety improvements across the state.

Other safety improvements to be rolled out at intersections across the Barwon South West region through $97.2 million in Targeted Road Safety Works funding include flexible safety barriers, roundabouts, traffic islands, lighting and signage enhancements and road surface treatments.

For more information on the Surfcoast Highway, Reserve Road and Felix Street project, head to regionalroads.vic.gov.au/map/barwon-south-west-improvements/surfcoast-highway-reserve-road-felix-street-intersection-safety-upgrade-grovedale