Lighting up busy intersection

By Lachlan Ellis

There has been a promise made by the Andrews Labor Government for a $25 million project to put traffic lights at a Bacchus Marsh roundabout, should it win next month’s election – but the community is divided on the idea.

As part of a $174 million ‘suburban roads blitz’, the current State Government plans to invest to “improve safety, make traffic flow more smoothly for road users, and improve connections for local pedestrians and cyclists” in three towns, including Bacchus Marsh.

Under the plan, the roundabout at the intersection of Grant Street, Griffith Street, and Station Street (near Bacchus Marsh College and Maddingley Park) will be replaced with traffic lights that are timed and connected to the nearby level crossing.

Member for Buninyong and Labor candidate for the new seat of Eureka, Michaela Settle, said the Bacchus Marsh community had been calling for ways to ease the town’s traffic congestion.

“We all know what this intersection gets like in the morning, we’ve got the College and Bacchus Marsh Grammar on the other side of the railway line. I think we all know something really desperately needs to be done,” Ms Settle told the Moorabool News.

“Steve McGhie talked last year about trying to get some pedestrian access, but having the lights will make things a bit more safe. For me, it’s about keeping the community, but also making it safer for our kids.”

The plan has drawn mixed reactions from the Bacchus Marsh community on social media with some saying that the lights are “well overdue”, while others say “traffic is going to be terrible” if the lights are installed.

When asked about the criticism, Ms Settle said she would “defer to the experts”.

“Regional Roads Victoria have been looking at this intersection for some time. A year or so ago there was money announced for the lights at Grant Street, and at the same time RRV were doing work to look at this intersection, and how to make it safe and viable,” she said.

“I understand how people might think stopping and starting is a bad thing, but I think you’ll find the regulation of movement will make it better. But I’ll defer to the experts at Regional Roads, who really think this is something worth doing.”

If the Andrews Government is re-elected, the Griffith Street/Station Street lights will begin construction after the lights at Grant Street are completed.

The Grant Street lights are currently due to begin construction in March.