‘AUSTRALIAN FIRST’ ROAD SAFETY INITIATIVE IN GEELONG

An intersection in Geelong is the site of an innovative road safety initiative which the Victorian Government has labelled an Australian first.

A safety platform – to be installed at the corner of Kidman Avenue and the Surf Coast Highway in Belmont – is based on a successful program in the Netherlands where safety was improved substantially by combining raised platforms with traffic signals.

State Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Luke Donnellan, who inspected the site with representatives from VicRoads, TAC and Victoria Police on 13 January, said the upgrade was part of the Safe System Road Infrastructure Program (SSRIP).

It will include traffic lights and safety platforms that will help control the speed of vehicles as they pass through the intersection, reducing the risk of collisions and injuries.

“We’re searching the world for the best ideas and trialling them here, because road safety matters,” Mr Donnellan said.

“This is an Australian first. Research suggests that the new, innovative design can save lives.

The safety platforms are designed so drivers will slow down as they enter and pass through the intersection. They look similar to speed humps installed on some local roads.

Between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2012, there were six casualty crashes at this intersection, four of which involved right-turning traffic struck by through-traffic.

The intersection pilot is based on intersection safety research conducted in Victoria by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC). Road safety experts and independent consultants were involved in the design of the treatment.

VicRoads has completed traffic modelling of the safety platforms, indicating minimal impact to travel times.

$1.4 million in funding was provided by the Victorian Government and TAC as part of the SSRIP – the centrepiece of the Victorian Government’s plans to reduce fatal and serious injuries on the road.