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A CRASH at one of the City of Greater Bendigo’s priority intersections has reinforced calls for urgent action.
An adult and two children were taken to Bendigo Health following a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Axedale – Goornong and Epsom – Barnadown roads in Barnadown about 3.30pm on Good Friday.
Goornong CFA first lieutenant Mat Read said one of the vehicles failed to slow down and collided with a second vehicle travelling along Axedale – Goornong Road, which resulted in a vehicle rollover.
“Young kids were involved in this accident, but luckily no serious injuries,” he said.
The two vehicles contained a total of five adults and three children.
All three people taken to hospital after the crash have since been discharged.
Mr Read has been appealing to authorities to make the intersection safer since December.
He contacted council again after Friday’s crash to find out if a solution could be fast-tracked.
Council investigated the intersection following a crash in March.
City of Greater Bendigo engineering and public space manager Brett Martini said the crossroads had been further reviewed. Another inspection was conducted on Easter Monday.
Council intends to increase signage and reduce vegetation at the intersection as soon as possible.
Mr Martini said signs had been ordered, and contractors were being organised.
The city is investigating the possibility of reducing the 100 kilometre speed limit.
“Ultimately, we’re looking at changing the crossroad intersection to a staggered T-intersection,” Mr Martini said.
It’s just a concept at this stage, but work on detailed designs is underway.
“The short-term treatments are a high priority,” Mr Martini said.
He shared Mr Read’s concern at the number of crashes at the intersection in recent months.
Mr Read said there had been three since December, all of which involved visitors to the area.
He said the roads were used as “shortcuts” by people seeking to avoid traffic on the highways.
“Motorists need to stay alert to their surroundings when travelling through unfamiliar areas,” Mr Read said.
One extra look - it's not going to cost you more than two seconds to make it safe and make sure there's no traffic.
- Jason Carty, Goornong CFA
Goornong resident Ben Matthews said locals knew to take extra precautions at the intersection.
“But you’ve got people from out of the area that just don’t pay attention and go straight through,” he said.
Goornong CFA captain Jason Carty said there were a number of ‘bad’ intersections near the Axedale – Goornong and Epsom – Barnadown crossroads.
However, he said the intersection at which the crash on Good Friday occurred was the worst.
A few hours beforehand, emergency services responded to a single vehicle rollover on the Northern Highway in Runnymede.
‘They don’t slow down...’
FOR about eight years, Mat and Sara Read been living near the Barnadown intersection they fear will one day claim a life.
The Goornong CFA members have seen countless near misses at the crossroads of Axedale – Goornong and Epsom – Barnadown roads.
Mr Read, the brigade’s first lieutenant, has been urging the City of Greater Bendigo and police to make the intersection safer.
The city’s councillors and staff have been responding to his concerns. But, while the authorities consider long-term solutions, cars keep zipping through the 100 kilometre zone.
“It’s frustrating,” Mrs Read said.
“How serious is it going to get to actually happen?”
For the number of people who live in the area, Mr Read said the roads are disproportionately busy.
“They don’t slow down, they just go straight through,” he said.
He and his wife are at a unsure why motorists aren’t heeding the stop signs and rumble strips, but believe sun glare and visibility could be factors.
For more on Greater Bendigo’s priority one intersections, click here.