Addressing the urgent need for a traffic-light controlled Maiden Gully Road and Calder Highway T-intersection Survey Monkey Link At a meeting of the MGPA Monday 1st Feb, the major stake holders were gathered to discuss the urgent need to amend the Marong Road (Calder Highway) Improvements Planning: Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report – March 2020. There was unanimous agreement that each body would survey their own communities for feedback on the issue. Results are to be combined into a final report to be presented to Maree Edwards for action.
Despite acknowledging the efforts of Vic Roads’ wide ranging consultation with the community regarding this intersection, the Progress Association believes that the process should have presented an alternative proposal and that the sample size of 72 was far too low. Their presentation focused on a cross-road four-way intersection and did not propose an alternative T-intersection. Both Marist College and Maiden Gully Primary School have been lobbying for urgent attention for action at this intersection, as traffic flow during school times is congested. To emphasise the need, please consider the rapid development within Bendigo and our suburb of Maiden Gully that has led to Marist College’s enrolments now reaching 1150 students, peaking at 1250 by 2023 and Maiden Gully Primary’s 570 students. The enrolment of Maiden Gully Primary School is projected to be between 763 and 816 students by the year 2030. These increasing enrolments will continue to increase traffic density. If VicRoads’ plan is implemented in its current form, with the opening of Carolyn Way to the Calder Highway to create a crossroad intersection; the Maiden Gully Progress Association is of the opinion that little consideration has been given to the effect this would have on the safety of the students of Maiden Gully Primary School. Our survey is intended to consult more widely with the Maiden Gully Community via Facebook focusing on an alternative solution not presented in the consultations by VicRoads. Findings will be combined with those from Marist College and the Maiden Gully Primary School. Arguments for a Traffic Light Intersection:
Improved traffic flow and safety. It can be a lengthy exercise during the 40 kph school time zone for residents, commuters, and parents accessing and exiting Maiden Gully Road into or from the Calder Highway. The frustration caused can lead to drivers making dangerous decisions causing accidents.
Commuters to and from Marist College will benefit by the ready access to Maiden Gully Road, whereas many avoid the intersection, taking other circuitous routes.
The current school crossing on Calder Highway bend can be moved to the traffic light-controlled intersection with a crossing supervisor. We believe that this will increase the safety of all concerned.
Arguments for a Traffic Light T-Intersection by Keeping Carolyn Way Closed:
Opening Carolyn Way to the Calder Highway will create two-way traffic past the school increasing the risk to all.
Current car park drop-off and pick-up spaces alongside the school can be retained by maintaining the existing one-way traffic past the Maiden Gully Primary School. Many of these spaces will be lost if Carolyn Way is opened to the Calder Highway. Parents will still need to drop off and pick up students, which will potentially create more congestion for the increased volume of through traffic.
The angled parking adjacent to the school on Carolyn Way would interfere with the traffic flow during school times, if it were retained, if the intersection is opened to a crossroad intersection, due to the need for parked cars to back out into oncoming traffic. This situation operates now, however with the increased traffic flow past the school, the safety risk would be exacerbated.
A new supervised school crossing will mostly be needed outside the school. This would also interrupt traffic flow.
Opening Carolyn Way as a crossroad will necessitate the closing of the current Calder Highway Service Road creating a dead end. There will be no access to Carolyn Way via the existing service road. See Fig 2 below
If Carolyn Way is not opened to the Highway as a crossroad, there will be less infrastructure required as the existing power lines and underground services need not need to be disturbed.
Figure 1. VicRoads Proposal
Figure 2. MGPA Proposal
Figure 3. Areas Of Concern Should Carolyn Way Be Opened To The Calder Highway