By CASEY NEILL
A TOLL road could ease gridlock and save lives at the deadly Abbotts Road rail crossing in Dandenong South.
The Committee for Dandenong will meet with VicRoads and City of Greater Dandenong next month to discuss its proposal for an overpass between the two sections of Remington Drive, to link directly with Pound Road and the freeway.
Committee member Jill Walsh said the project would be an Australian first, and could be completed by mid-next year.
“It will be revolutionary,” she said.
“It would be nice to think that Dandenong could be a leader.”
Two fatal collisions between trains and vehicles at the Cranbourne Railway Line intersection in the past five years and severe traffic congestion prompted the group to seek an urgent solution.
The site is ranked at 144 on a level crossing risk list.
Committee for Dandenong chairman Gary Castricum said the best way to improve the project’s priority within the budget process was not to wait for more deaths or argue about lost productivity.
“The committee believes a new funding approach should be considered,” he said.
It’s investigating the financial feasibility of providing the infrastructure through private tolling.
Ms Walsh said savings on the costs of large trucks sitting idle in traffic, late deliveries and missed meetings would outweigh a usage fee.
She said there were also environmental concerns associated with the traffic chaos, road rage risks and an emotional drain on workers.
“It’s an everyday problem and it’s only going to get worse,” she said.
Ms Walsh has been using Abbotts Road since 1999 and has seen many motorists take chances.
“Trying to get out of the side roads and join Abbotts – unless someone’s generous you can be stuck there for hours,” she said.
She said congestion slowing traffic was the only reason there hadn’t been more carnage.
“The council and VicRoads have shown good will and a willingness to see the problem that this is and do something about it,” she said.
“They’ve been fantastic, really. This is way outside the square for them.”
Ms Walsh said the project was about taking local ownership over infrastructure instead of just looking to government, but that some government funding would probably be needed.
“There are compromises needed here,” she said.
“I’m hoping that it will be a model to enlist local business people in improving their own area.”
The Committee for Dandenong is a community-based group of business people concerned with promoting Dandenong’s image.
