• Dandenong Star

By Shaun Inguanzo

18th May 2006 09:24:32 AM

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DANDENONG’S deadliest road junctions will be tackled with a $1.7 million funding windfall from both Federal and State governments.

The Princes Highway in central Dandenong will receive another set of traffic lights at its James Street intersection and motorists will be prohibited from making rights turns from Henty Street onto the highway in a bid to increase traffic safety.

The Monash Freeway and Stud Road intersection will receive upgrades to its traffic lights and motorist will be able to make a right-turn if travelling north along Stud Road and wanting to head east on the freeway.

On top of the annually recurring $581,000 Federal Government Roads to Recovery funding detailed in last week’s 2006/07 Federal Budget, the State Government this week announced $1.3 million to fix the two major blackspots earmarked by Greater Dandenong council for urgent attention.

The State Government funds will be used to fix the intersections of the Princes Highway and James Street, Princes Highway and Henty Street, and Stud Road and the Monash Freeway.

Dandenong MP John Pandazopoulos said 28 deaths and 13 serious injuries had occurred at the intersections over the past five years.

“These are sobering statistics, so the (government) is identifying roads where the risk of these crashes is greatest and introducing specific solutions to save lives and reduce injuries,” he said.

Cleeland Ward councillor Paul Donovan has lobbied for the Princes Highway and James and Henty Street works on behalf of residents since October last year and said the funds were ‘great news’.

“Certainly, both roads are dangerous intersections,” he said.

“I hope the solution put forward by the Government proves to be effective and I congratulate the State Government on the announcement of funding.”

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