An independent road safety audit for Newham’s Three Chain Road, Egans Lane and Dons Road intersection is now under way.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s director of assets and operations Dom Testoni said council commissioned the audit for independent technical advice on the existing conditions of the intersection.
“The assessment considers the Three Chain Road corridor and the immediate intersection environment, including traffic volumes, sight lines, road geometry and turning movements,” he said.
“The purpose of the work is to understand how the intersection is operating and whether any safety or operational improvements should be considered.
“Council is happy to communicate the relevant findings and recommended actions with residents once the review process has been completed.”
A local man was killed at the intersection, and another seriously injured, last month after a car failed to give way while crossing the intersection.
Speed limits, sight lines and increased users of the roadway are among concerns residents presented to the council.
An online petition calling for lower speed limits (from 100km/h to 80km/h) and safety improvements for the site has attracted 696 signatures.
Mr Testoni told the Express any change to the speed limit would ultimately require approval from the Department of Transport and Planning, as it was the responsible road authority for speed zoning under the Victorian Speed Zoning Guidelines.
“If council were to resolve to seek a reduction to 80km/h, a formal application would need to be submitted to DTP for assessment,” he said.
“Timeframes can vary depending on the complexity of the request and DTP’s review process, but it typically takes a number of months for assessment and implementation.”
