SOUTH Barwon MP Andrew Katos has launched installed at the intersection of the Surf Coast Highway and Beach Road.<\/p>\n
Mr Katos and shadow minister for roads and infrastructure Ryan Smith visited the intersection last week to distribute petitions and discuss the issue with Torquay Animal House owner Denis Ryan.<\/p>\n
The Surf Coast Shire has committed more than $598,000 in funding to the works at the intersection, which has a history of crashes but is seeking matching funding from the state government.<\/p>\n
Mr Ryan said the intersection, which is directly next to his business, was \u201ca consistent problem\u201d for drivers in Torquay and was particularly dangerous as it allowed U-turns in both directions.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it\u2019s an absolute nightmare, nobody knows if you\u2019re doing a U-turn or not.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a ballistic intersection; there\u2019s an accident here once a month.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Smith said funding was previously available to the shire through the former Country Roads and Bridges Program.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Surf Coast Shire had allocated it for this, they were getting a million dollars a year, and they were going to do it \u2013 and when you take that money away, there\u2019s no way they can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Katos said the shire was partially to blame as it hoped for a state election commitment that never eventuated.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very contradictory from the shire because their number one priority for a road was this intersection, yet they had funding available and didn\u2019t use it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe (the Coalition) committed, Labor didn\u2019t, and the people of Torquay lost out.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople hear about this intersection and roll their eyes – \u2018oh, Beach Road, that\u2019s a shocker\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a letter to Mr Katos on February 1, Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said the intersection was eligible for signalisation under future Safe System Road Infrastructure Program funding, but \u201cit does not rank highly on a state-wide basis\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SOUTH Barwon MP Andrew Katos has launched installed at the intersection of the Surf Coast Highway and Beach Road. Mr Katos and shadow minister for roads and infrastructure Ryan Smith visited the intersection last week to distribute petitions and discuss the issue with Torquay Animal House owner Denis Ryan. The Surf Coast Shire has committed […]<\/p>\n