Roads struggle with growing traffic

By Casey Neill

The road network is playing catch-up with traffic volumes in growing Keysborough.
At the Monday 28 August Greater Dandenong Council meeting, councillor Matthew Kirwan said people were increasingly expressing concerns about the number of vehicles using Chapel Road.
He said complaints had increased since the new shopping centre and further residential developments had opened.
Cr Kirwan asked that a traffic analysis be considered for funding.
Keysborough South Action Group spokeswoman Nina Kelly told the Journal that Perry Road was even worse.
“The corner of Church Road and Perry Road is terrible,” she said.
“You can have up to six cars banked.”
Ms Kelly said the situation wasn’t causing safety concerns.
“It’s more frustration than anything at the moment,” she said.
But she did urge “a bit more forward-planning”.
“Residents shouldn’t have to constantly go to council and to VicRoads to try and resolve the matter,” he said.
In response to Cr Kirwan’s question, engineering services director Julie Reid told the meeting that the council was monitoring the area carefully.
“Unlike the surrounding residential estates, the road network has yet to be fully developed and motorists have fewer choices on how to move through the area,” she said.
“As such, there will be periods of congestion on Chapel Road and surrounds, particularly during peak times when motorists may experience some delays.”
Ms Reid said that motorists would have options once the road network was fully developed “which should result in lower demand and congestion on specific roads and greater route choice to move through and around the area”.
“As per previous advice given to council regarding the proposed traffic analysis, council’s traffic engineers believe that the existing traffic analysis is suitable in describing how the area will operate once development has been completed,” she said.
Ms Reid said she would provide councillors with a map detailing proposed future routes for the area.