Draft Progress Report on the Roundabout Trucks Accidents of 2022
The BDCA instigated a public meeting at the Townhall on 14th July, 2022, attended by at least 150 concerned people, filling the hall. The event provided a forum for issues to be raised, creating a list of suggestions that could be pursued further. Local parliament members, Micheala Settle and Beverley McArthur, provided the government and opposition views on the problem of heavy vehicle traffic in Buninyong.
Micheala, stated that, “she would not advocate for the stage 3 of the Western Link Road or the long term plan of a bypass, but committed to make sure Buninyong residents have a place at the table during planning to improve the safety of the community.”
Meetings with Regional Roads Victoria (RRV). After the 2 accidents, the large sign was erected by RRV on the 26th June 2022 at the top of the hill warning west bound traffic of the descent into Buninyong.
The BDCA Safety Advisory Group was expanded to 14, to include interested residents, after the accidents, to pursue the safety issues of the Midland Highway. It developed strategies of meetings with government persons, media exposure up to the State election on 26th November2022. Micheala Settle, MLA, on the 3rd October 2022, released a Government $150,000 allocation. This was to facilitate creating a working party committee of RRV staff, police, transport and 2 community representatives, to review project proposals, prioritise, design, cost and refer recommendations back to the Department of Transport for funding in the budget.
The Buninyong Road Safety Committee commenced on 14th December 2022. Our representatives, Robert Elshaug and Ron Whatman, presented the comprehensive list of 15 proposals, advanced from the public meeting in July, to be evaluated by this committee. The funding was limited only to safety work within the township.
Monthly meetings for the past year, have finally decided from 21 proposals considered, to prioritise 3 projects for more detail design, being:
1. Wombat crossings (raised pavement pedestrian crossing) on the 4 entries to the roundabout, that will slow traffic speed and provide safe legal pedestrian access across the roadways,
2. Warrenheip St, Learmonth to Elizabeth Street, improve designation of bicycle lanes and proposed speed reduction limits.
3.Learmonth St (Midland Hwy) upgrade and improvements to the school crossing and north service road, lane modifications, Inglis to Lal Lal Streets, to improve safety of traffic turning movements at some intersections.
Presently, these are being surveyed and designed by consultants, for the committee to review, then RRV will arrange public viewing of the proposals for comment and discussion by the community.
The projects, when adopted by the committee, will be forwarded to the Minister for funding applications in next year’s State Budget!
It is a slow process dealing with government bureaucracy, hopefully our community may achieve
some success in improving safety in our Buninyong.
Robert Elshaug
BDCA Safety Advisory Group Convenor
8 March 2024