Hume councillors are calling for urgent action to address congestion and safety concerns along the southern section of Mickleham Road , following a string of serious crashes and growing frustration from residents.
A motion tabled at council’s scheduled meeting on Monday, September 8 highlighted another fatality, which occurred on the busy road last month, the fourth to happen in the area over the past seven years.
Locals have said the intersections along Broadmeadows Road, Bamford Avenue, and Johnston Street-Deviation Road in Westmeadows are among some of the most dangerous, with heavy traffic, poor signalisation and limited pedestrian crossings creating risks for drivers and those walking on foot.
Cr Naim kurt drew attention to the growing fears around the roads.
“People are feeling unsafe driving, unsafe crossing the road and unsafe even walking near these roads,” he said
While Hume’s council has previously explored design options for upgrades, the road is managed by the state government, limiting council’s ability to fund or deliver works directly.
The motion instead calls for officers to revisit earlier planning, assess current state and federal funding programs, and prepare a new advocacy strategy to press for upgrades.
Recent increases in federal funding for road safety through programs like the black spot program, roads to recovery, and the active transport fund may provide fresh opportunities to secure investment, a report to council said.
Council officers are expected to prepare a detailed report due by February, outlining past proposals and identifying potential pathways to advance the projects with the department of transport and planning and the minister for roads and road safety.
The renewed focus comes as housing growth continues north of Hume, further straining Mickleham Road and surrounding intersections.
“There is increasing community concern and frustration with some of the further housing which is being implemented in the north,” Cr Kurt said.
Cr Kurt also drew attention to the toll the unsafe roads are taking on the community.
“It’s our residents that are continuing to pay the price,” he said.
“If we can just get these reports in line, present some of the plans which have previously been done, present some of the costs for them … we can try and get this work undertaken a bit sooner as well.”
