Sensors and high definition cameras, which can tell how many people are waiting to walk across a pedestrian crossing, will be installed at 75 locations across the state including near a Werribee school.
The state government last week announced the new technology was being rolled out across Melbourne’s west, east and south.
The cameras, to be installed under a $340 million investment in the state’s roads, will also be able to adjust crossing times according to how many people are waiting next to a pedestrian walkway.
The technology will be installed at a pedestrian crossing near Heathdale Christian College in Werribee, along with other sites which experience high volumes of pedestrian traffic or are located close to train stations.
The sensor technology has already been installed at three pedestrian crossings on Synnot Street in Werribee, including at Bridge Street and Duncans Road and at three Hoppers Crossing locations, along Derrimut Road and Heaths Road.
Sensors are in the process of being put in, near the intersection of Derrimut Road and Warringa Drive in Hoppers Crossing and is being installed near Good News College on Tarneit Road, Tarneit and at the intersection of Sayers Road and Marquands Road, Truganina.
Two crossings on Point Cook Road in Seabrook, near Catherine Street North and South, have also been upgraded with the technology.
Werribee MP Tim Pallas said it was great to see the innovative road safety technology being rolled out at local schools.
“Every investment in road safety saves lives, and we’ve all got a role to play to prevent people dying on our roads,” he said.
Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll said: “These important upgrades will help keep some of our most vulnerable road users safe, and improve efficiency and traffic flow during busy school drop-off and pick-up times.
“We all have a responsibility to keep Victorian kids safe as they get to and from school – even a small reduction in speed could save a child’s life.”
As part of the state and federal governments’ $19.5 million Pedestrian and Safer Schools Program, extra electronic speed signs have also been erected near 55 schools across the state.
The high-tech pedestrian crossings and electronic speed signs support Victoria’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, which has a focus on protecting vulnerable road users, as part of a target to halve road deaths and significantly reduce serious injuries by 2030.
