Gerald Lynch
Kalkallo resident Ally Watson is spearheading a campaign for the “well overdue” duplication of Donnybrook Road.
Having already been behind a successful petition to have the Donnybrook Road-Mitchell Street roundabout upgraded, Ms Watson has her sights on more improvements.
She has now launched a second petition calling on the state govenment to commit to duplicating Donnybrook Road.
Ms Watson has been involved with the Hume Change Makers Community Reference Group, a volunteer group, since May 2021, and is continuing to put time into trying to better Hume and its roads.
While Ms Watson understands that “the duplication of Donnybrook Road is not going to happen overnight,” she urges other Hume residents to sign the petition and cause “strong community led action (and) show how serious it is to duplicate the road”.
The petition to upgrade the Donnybrook Road-Mitchell Street roundabout last year drew 1315 signatures, and as a result plans are now being put into action under Victoria’s Big Build.
With the continued urban growth in Kalkallo and surrounding areas, single lanes to get in and out of the area is not enough, and it is proving to have a profound effect on traffic, causing major delays.
In response to the new petition, a spokesperson from the state government said that it is investing heavily already in the development of the fast-growing north, and that the Donnybrook Road-Mitchell Street upgrade will alleviate some of the current delays.
“We’ve invested more than any Victorian government in history to transform our transport network in growing communities like Kalkallo, slashing congestion on roads and delivering more train and bus services more often.
“We’re upgrading the Donnybrook Road and Mitchell Street intersection, easing peak hour traffic in the area and getting the community home safer and sooner.”
The petition, which is being sponsored by Ros Spence, had about 1500 at deadline. It closes on September 22.
Petition: bit.ly/duplicatedonnybrookroad
