The intersection of Benalla Rd and St George’s Rd is one that council wants the Victorian Government to look at.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Two Shepparton intersections have been described as “Armageddon at peak times” by a City of Greater Shepparton councillor.
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Cr Fern Summer has concerns about the safety at the Benalla Rd and Archer St intersection, as well as the Benalla Rd and St George’s Rd intersection.
She raised a successful motion at the March council meeting that council start discussions with the Department of Transport and Planning to investigate and consider safety and efficiency improvements at the two intersections.
“These intersections are used by hundreds of commuters daily, and … they are completely inadequate,” Cr Summer said.
She said they had been made worse by the amalgamation of schools to form Greater Shepparton Secondary College, meaning more traffic used the area.
“Currently those intersections lack signage, it’s not clear which lanes to use, people continually run red lights, and it’s Armageddon during peak times,” she said.
“Let’s not wait for a fatality before taking preventative action.”
Cr Summer was quick to say that the intersections were Victorian Government-controlled roads, and that the motion may not result in any definitive changes, but did say that the talks meant council had “done all it could to escalate the issue”.
Cr Summer said the solution could be something such as roundabouts to improve driver flow, turning lights, better signage, or just clearer line marking.
Council says safety needs to be improved at the Benalla Rd and Archer St intersection.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Cr Sam Spinks described the intersection designs as “wacky”, saying they may have worked years ago when they were first made, but that traffic in the area had changed.
“Benalla Rd is a main arterial road into our city centre … and Archer St is becoming one,” she said.
“The increase in traffic in Archer St is phenomenal, and St George’s Rd is often used as an alternative to Archer St.”
She said the nearby Greater Shepparton Secondary College, as well as the Woolworths complex, childcare facility and 7-Eleven service station had meant they had become incredibly dense intersections used more than ever by motorists.
“Really, it’s just time for them to be looked at,” she said.
Cr Anthony Brophy also supported the motion, saying that he had been using those roads for the past 30 years, and that he had “never seen it so busy in all the time that I’ve been driving”.
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