By NATALIE GALLENTI-BREKALO
MELTON City councillors and officers are confident that traffic in Diggers Rest will improve after the final report for the Diggers Rest Local Area Traffic Management Study was adopted last week.
As last week’s meeting, the council unanimously adopted the final report which was initiated primarily to improve traffic management in the area both in the short and long term.
The report presented to the council states that the interim plan will address significant issues like traffic speed and irresponsible driving, with traffic survey data revealing vehicle speeds in the area are among the highest in the municipality.
In the report council officer Luke Shannon said the population of Diggers Rest is expected to grow from 1930 to 13,900 upon full development of the Diggers Rest Precinct Structure Plan Area.
The improvements would include extension of Houdini Drive to the west of Vineyard Rd and extension of License Rd from Plumpton Rd, traffic signals at the intersection of Vineyard Rd and Houdini Drive and a roundabout at Vineyard and License roads.
It is also proposed that six speed humps be installed on Welcome Rd and four on the Calder Highway, with a total of 20 installed across the area.
The LATM has come under fire in the past with residents worried the suburb will become “speed hump city”.
Residents were also concerned with the number of parking bays that would be lost on Welcome Rd.
