By Esther Lauaki
Wyndham council has taken ownership of eight blocks of land at Tarneit and Truganina as it prepares to fix some of Wyndham’s most notorious intersections.
Councillors last week gave the green light for the public acquisition of the land surrounding the two intersections at Woods and Dohertys roads, Boundary and Derrimut roads, as well as land for the Leakes Road duplication.
Wyndham city design and liveability director Aaron Chiles said each project was “critical to improve road capacity in Tarneit and Truganina”.
The council applied to the Planning Minister last August for an amendment to its planning scheme to include the public acquisition of land for vital projects.
The amendment was put out for public comment in October with no submissions received.
Mr Chiles said the land would help provide critical road infrastructure.
“Council’s advocacy strategy identifies that many sections of Wyndham’s roads have reached capacity, and some are carrying far more traffic than they were designed for,” he said.
“This is causing traffic jams, delayed bus services and traffic safety issues.
“Wyndham’s commuters and freight industries urgently need upgrades to arterial roads, intersections and freeway interchanges.
“To this end, council has been upgrading local roads to meet Wyndham’s current and future needs.”
The rural intersections of both Woods and Dohertys roads as well as Boundary and Derrimut roads require traffic signals while the Leakes Road duplication aims to alleviate congestion.
“[Boundary and Derrimut Rd] intersection has a poor crash history, but it has not resulted in the intersection being considered a ‘blackspot’ site,” Mr Chiles said.
“As part of the Western Road Upgrade project, detours will direct additional traffic through this intersection, further impacting on its safety.
“Council is upgrading Boundary Road east of this intersection which is likely to encourage more drivers to use this intersection.”
VicRoads manages Derrimut-Hopkins Road, and Wyndham council manages Boundary Road.
Mayor Josh Gilligan said figures showed 59 crashes at Boundary Road in the past five years and called for VicRoads to fund traffic lights at the dangerous intersection.
“We need the Victorian government to do their fair share … 59 road crashes in five years are 59 too many,” Cr Gilligan said.
Late last year, the speed limit was reduced from 80 km/h to 60 km/h on the Derrimut-Hopkins Road between Dohertys Road and Middle Road in Truganina.
