Concern over risky turn
RESIDENTS of Hi Winds Rd along the New England Hwy at Blue Mountain Heights are hoping the Department of Transport and Main Roads will be able to make the turn-off into their road safer.
When the highway was recently resurfaced, the small taper lane which previously existed was removed.
Now, post-roadworks, motorists face a sudden left hand turn on a 90km/h stretch of road.
Resident Geoff Adams said it was a safety issue, and motorists turning into Hi Winds Rd risked having vehicles running into them from behind.
“(Residents) feel that the corner is really too sharp to not have a defined sliver or taper marked on the highway itself,” he said.
“We feel the camber is also a problem because it tends to slope out to the opposite side, and currently there is no dividing line.”
Mr Adams said he had raised the issues with Transport and Main Roads, and they committed to him to come out and reinstate the taper and dividing lines.
A Department spokesman said there were plans “to reinstate the linemarking at the New England Hwy and Hi Winds Rd intersection (this) week, weather permitting”.
“The linemarking will be reinstated to the same configuration as before the resealing works.”
Mr Adams also said residents would like to see the 90km/h zone dropped to an 80km/h zone, which he said would only minimally impact commute times.
Looking to the bigger picture, Mr Adams said it would make sense to move the Ergon pole away from the corner, which would allow space for the road to be built out and allow for safer turns.
“This Ergon pole here, it’s a new pole that was replaced. And you kind of wonder why nobody between Main Roads, council, and Ergon thought to move this,” he said.