Road cash to boost safety

A MULTIMILLION- dollar road safety blitz will target some of the region’s most notorious black spots.

A total of $3.9m will be spread across 13 projects in the federal electorates of Corio and Corangamite, under funding announced for the federal government’s Black Spot program.

Almost half the funding will go to a pair of major projects, including $1m for works at the

Mt Duneed Road rail underpass near Moriac to widen the road, build sealed shoulders, apply skid-resistant asphalt, install a guard fence with rubrail, improve delineation and update signage, clear hazards and install street lighting.

And about $630,000 will be used to “install fully controlling right-turn movement on north/south approaches” and improve intersection capacity at the intersection of La Trobe Terrace and Fyans Street, Newtown.

Geelong’s most notorious black spot, on Thompson Road — the site of six road fatalities last year — will receive $178,000 for safety works.

Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson said community input had helped direct the regional road safety funding.

“Road crashes place major emotional and economic strains on all affected communities, but particularly the families and friends of the victims,” Senator Henderson said.

“None of these projects would be delivered without the community’s vital input and I encourage all residents and motorists in the region to nominate projects for future funding rounds.”

Projects include: INTERSECTION of Mt Duneed Road and at the rail underpass near Moriac: $1.02m. INTERSECTION of Portarlington Road and McAdams Lane, Bellarine: $250,000. INTERSECTION of Surf Coast Highway and Reserve

Road, Grovedale: $225,000. INTERSECTION of La Trobe Terrace and Fyans Street, Newtown: $628,000. INTERSECTION of Princes and Midland highways at Geelong West: $301,000. INTERSECTION of Townsend and Boundary roads, St Albans Park: $292,000. INTERSECTION of Edols and Cowie street, North Geelong: $242,000.

INTERSECTION of Moorabool and Kilgour streets, Geelong: $186,000.

RUSSELLS Bridge Road,

2km section near Parker

Road at Russells Bridge:

$138,000.

INTERSECTION of Mt Pleasant Road and Jacobs Street, Belmont: $181,000. INTERSECTION of Thompson and Cox roads, Norlane: $178,000.

INTERSECTION of Barwon Heads and Mt Pleasant roads, Belmont: $158,000. INTERSECTION of Yarra and Myers streets, Geelong: $120,000.