Traffic chaos

DANDENONG Retail Traders’ Association (DRTA) is calling for signage to direct traffic at the Princes Highway/Robinson Street intersection, and has slammed inaction from VicRoads.
At the DRTA Christmas dinner and annual general meeting, outgoing chairman Roy Aspinall said the group continued to have problems with the road authority over what was a “major entrance into central Dandenong following the removal of turns into Lonsdale Street”.
He said VicRoads had identified signalising the intersection as a future project and developed a proposal to support the Revitalising Central Dandenong initiative.
“VicRoads states that with the removal of turns, traffic is intended to enter the station side of Dandenong from Robinson Street, and yet they cannot give us a timing for work to be done,” Mr Aspinall said.
He said it was imperative signs be erected now, even temporarily, to help traffic find its way.
“The DRTA has suggested that temporary signage be placed a Clow Street, where there is signalisation, but cannot get a reply,” he said.
VicRoads acting metro south east director Adam Maguire said the road authority would “review the current intersection arrangements to identify if there is any need for the installation of additional static signs”.
He said it received many requests each year for traffic signals throughout Victoria.
“All requests are prioritised based on the extent to which such a treatment would improve safety and/or congestion at the intersection,” he said.
“VicRoads considers factors such as the number and type of vehicles using the intersection, the need to cater for pedestrians, the historical safety record of the site, the impact that treating the intersection would have on the performance of the surrounding road network and the implementation costs.
“A proposal to signalise this intersection, based on the above criteria, has been developed and will be considered for future funding.”