Petition wants Torquay North traffic lights postponed

A COMMUNITY petition is circulating that calls on the Surf Coast Shire council to postpone adding traffic lights and altering an intersection in Torquay North, claiming there will be “no community benefit” in completing the works early.
The council’s 2020-2021 draft budget allocates $2.21 million to the project, which will be built at the intersection of the Surf Coast Highway, Coombes Road and what will be the new western entrance to the Quay 2 estate at Rosser Boulevard.
The works are one of five Torquay/Jan Juc Developer Contribution Plan (DCP) projects in the budget, and account for more than half the $3.9 million total.
Inshore Drive runs west from Fischer Street but does not yet join Rosser Boulevard, and the petition states that “since Inshore Drive will be the road that ties our neighbourhood traffic into the intersection (at Surf Coast Highway/Coombes Road/Rosser Boulevard), if this intersection gets opened prematurely, cars and trucks will use our local streets as alternate routes” to it.
“Our local streets are not engineered for high traffic volumes and will also be subject to intentional reckless driving and speeding – as already experienced on other streets.
“Our local streets will become dangerous ‘rat runs’ for our kids and families getting to and from parks, schools and shops.”
The petition states the full Inshore Drive opening “will most likely be years away while the council processes the 1800s White family homestead with stables and trees”.
Torquay North resident John De Witt, who is helping to organise the petition, said Marine Drive, Offshore Drive and Bombora Street had become unexpected “rat runs” for motorists avoiding the Fischer Street and Merrijg Drive roundabout.
“Even with Stage 3 restrictions in place, The Quay’s upper neighbourhood streets that were recently family-friendly have become dangerous.”
Petitioners have also set up a Facebook group, “Calm Our Traffic”, and want people to submit their signatures so the petition can be submitted to the Surf Coast Shire council before May 27.