By Ann Marie AngebrandT
THE Point Cook Residents Association is calling on the State Government to allocate money in this week’s budget to fix the intersection of Point Cook and Dunnings Rds.
PCRA vice-president Ian Muir said the association felt that time was running out.
Mr Muir reminded Altona MP Lynne Kosky in a letter last week of the $1.3 million promised for the project during last year’s state election.
“The urgency of this upgrade is paramount to the safety of local residents and visitors alike,” he wrote.
Both the Hobsons Bay and Wyndham City Councils have jointly committed $500,000 to the project.
“If it’s not included in this year’s budget, it will mean another 12 months of traffic chaos,”Mr Muir said.
A $22.6 million upgrade to Palmers Rd is ahead of schedule and will mean extra traffic on the road in the coming months, he said.
About 18,000 vehicles a day use the intersection, which has been the site of at least three serious crashes in the past year.
Mr Muir said the traffic was worst in the early morning and evenings when residents were trying to leave the suburb and parents were dropping off school children.
“During peak times there’s a lengthy delay getting out and people take risks even though you can’t see if anything is coming,” he said.
About $2 million is needed to upgrade the intersection with duplicated lanes and traffic lights.
The intersection now has only stop signs.
Point Cook is projected to have 41,500 residents by 2016 compared to about 17,000 today.
