by Sahar Foladi
In a major win for residents, a safer pedestrian crossing at Stud Road, Dandenong North has finally been allocated funds in the 2024-’25 State Budget after years of advocacy.
The upgrade – part of a $16.5 million package for several metro roads projects – will improve signalisation and add a pedestrian crossing at the notorious intersection of Stud and McFees roads.
The section of the busy road has taken two lives in the past six years, including a toddler last December.
Greater Dandenong mayor Lana Formoso, who’d advocated strongly for this change, was caught in a whirlwind of emotions.
“I’m sorry there are still families suffering the tragic loss of their family members, prior to this project being promised.
“But I have done my job as a mayor, mother, resident, ambassador for road safety and I couldn’t be happier.
“That was 10 years of relentless advocacy – 10 years of grit and hard work has paid off and I’m forever grateful.”
She started her advocacy for a pedestrian crossing as a resident in 2013, when attempting to cross the dangerous six-lane road with her two kids and their cycles.
Now as a mayor persistent on the issue, she is finally overjoyed at what the community had achieved.
“Alongside Greater Dandenong City Council and community organisations, I’ve personally advocated for this matter to be addressed by the State Government for a decade.
“I was pleased that the Minister for Road Safety and a representative of the Department of Transport and Planning visited us in recent months to discuss the matter, along with Gabrielle Williams, our local Member for Dandenong.
“Obviously, they heeded the calls from community.”
As a resident of Dandenong, a high school teacher and now raising her own family of four in the municipality, Cr Formoso said the need for a Stud Rd pedestrian crossing was one of the main reasons she ran for Council in 2020.
“I feel like I’ve done something that is a legacy for my children, future generation and entire community.
“My kids are so proud and happy that I was able to deliver this alongside the community and the Labor Government.”
Residents including children have regularly bolted across the busy six-lane, 80km/h road to catch the bus into central Dandenong on the other side as well as to access the popular Dandenong Stadium, playground and floodplains parkland.
In 2018, VicRoads pledged to install pedestrian lights and review the speed limit after a pedestrian in her 50s was fatally struck while crossing to a nearby bus stop.
As a SES volunteer, Cr Formoso was one of the first at the tragic scene of a two-year-boy who was fatally struck by a car as he tried to cross the road with his father on 17 December 2023 as reported previously by Star Journal.
Cr Formoso says once the road safety upgrades are built the community “will never see the tragedy like we saw in December ever again.”
After discussions with the Minister for Local Government Melissa Horne, the State Government decreased the speed on Stud Rd to 60km/h last month as an interim solution.
“I knew this was a tight budget but I knew once Minister Horne met with me and saw the severity of the issue there was no denying this project is for the necessity for the community,” Cr Formoso said.
She thanked Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams, council staff, engineering and planning team as well as Ms Horne for their advocacy and work towards the funding.
Ms Williams described it as “a big win for the community who have advocated for this alongside me for many years”.
“I’m proud that we have been able to secure it, together.”
Ms Formoso says she understands the 2024-25 funding is for detailed design with the project to be built over the “next year or so”.
Coinciding with National Road Safety Week, the council was lighting up The Drum theatre in yellow each night until Sunday 12 May, as part of the Shine a Light on Road Safety campaign.
