EMERGENCY services have welcomed the lowered speed limit at the Ravenswood intersection.
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Bendigo Police acting inspector Paul Gardiner said the new 80km/h zone on a stretch of the Calder Highway would ultimately save lives.
"It's disapointing we have to go to these lengths," he said. "But it's got to the point where these measures are necessary.
"In my experience the reduction does make a significant positive change to lower the risk of collisions there - we've found that at the Lockwood road intersection."
The Ravenswood intersection where the Calder Highway meets the Calder Alternative has been listed for a $86 million safety upgrade.
The interim speed limit change follows three casualty crashes at the site in the past six months.
Inspector Gardiner said the temporary measure of changing the speed limit was the result of the "unfortunate" prominence of dangerous driving.
"We've had a number of meetings with VicRoads over the years about the safety of that intersection.
"It is clearly a site where there are a significant amount of motorists that don't obey the road."
CFA Operations Office Bruce Quarrier said he agreed with Inspector Gardiner's sentiment and said the site was "disproportionately represented" with crashes.
"All along the Calder Alternative highway seems to be represented more than it should," he said.
A poll of 220 people on bendigoadvertiser.com.au found that 82 per cent of respondents thought "driver attitude needs changing" at the site.
The speed limit change will be in place until the $86 million overpass is complete in 2017.