Irymple's roads are about to get even safer for pedestrians and cyclists with the introduction of a suite of new measures to improve road safety.
Part of the Transport Accident Commission's (TAC) Toward Zero initiative, the pedestrian and cyclist safety measures will be installed in Karadoc Avenue and Irymple residential streets.
Works will include:
- a raised pedestrian crossing in Karadoc Avenue, between Henshilwood Sporting Reserve and Irymple Secondary College
- reducing the speed limit from 60km/h to 50km/h in Karadoc Avenue between Oasis Aged Care and the Calder Highway
- reducing the speed limit from 50km/h to 40km/h in Irymple residential streets running off Sandilong, Karadoc, Koorlong and Irymple Avenues, as well as off Fifteenth Street
- installation of raised traffic islands on the entrance to residential streets.
Councillor for Infrastructure and Assets Glenn Milne said the works were partly in response to calls from the community to curb speeds and increase pedestrian safety in the town.
"We know from talking to junior Irymple sporting clubs based at the Henshilwood Recreation Reserve and Irymple Secondary College staff that there have been concerns for some time around the pedestrian crossing between these two sites," Cr Milne said.
"By reducing speed at this location, and making the crossing more prominent with a raised area, it will significantly improve safety for pedestrians crossing the road."
Irymple Secondary College Principal Jo McQuinn said the crossing was used regularly each week by the 650 students at the school, who would take Physical Education classes at Henshilwood Oval.
"Safety at the crossing is something we've certainly been conscious of for some time now, as it's a main road that's getting busier as Irymple grows and is a crossing our students use frequently," Ms McQuinn said.
"It's normally quite busy in the morning and after school, as well as used regularly to cross the road for Phys-Ed classes."
Ms McQuinn said drivers either traveling too fast, or sometimes not stopping at all, were among the issues occurring at the crossing.
"We welcome changes to the crossing to make it more prominent and noticeable for drivers and thank everyone who has made this happen," she said.
Irymple Cricket Club President Glen Crisera said the crossing was also used regularly by his club's junior and senior players.
"We regularly use both ovals, on either side of Karadoc Avenue, with players walking back and forth throughout the day, so anything that is going to make this crossing safer is something that should be welcomed," Mr Crisera said.
The other works are again partly in response to calls from the community to make roads safer.
"We know from similar measures introduced in Mildura several years ago that these treatments work when it comes to curbing speeding and making streets safer for the many families and children who are often out walking or on bikes," Cr Milne said.
Work is expected to be completed in about eight weeks. Residents and drivers are asked to take note of any traffic direction while this work is under way.
Road safety measures
Karadoc Avenue pedestrian crossing
Reducing speeds to 50km/h between Oasis Aged Care and the Calder Highway provides more consistency with existing school crossing speed limits.
Reducing speed provides more time for drivers to react if something unexpected happens.
Installation of the new raised pedestrian crossing will make the crossing more obvious to drivers and slow traffic, providing more time for drivers to react.
The pedestrian crossing will be raised to the same height as the footpath on either side of the road, making it a safer location to cross for pedestrians and people on mobility scooters.
Better lighting will also be installed to improve visibility and safety at night.
Reducing speed in residential streets
Reducing speeds from 50km/h to 40km/ in residential streets that run off Sandilong, Karadoc, Koorlong and Irymple Avenues, and off Fifteenth Street, will align with residential speed limits in Mildura, resulting in less confusion for drivers.
Lower speeds will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, allowing more time for drivers to react if something unexpected happens.
Traffic islands at entrances to residential streets
Installing raised traffic islands at the entrances to residential streets will provide pedestrians with refuge while crossing the road.
They will also reduce speeds of vehicles entering streets, providing drivers with more time to react to unexpected obstacles or people crossing the road, as well as reducing the likelihood of head-on collisions.
These treatments have proven successful where they've been installed in Mildura's residential streets and have caused minimal, if any, obstruction for road users.
