Traffic lights at the intersection of Tannery Lane and Strathfieldsaye Road have been switched on, marking the end of a community push to improve traffic conditions in the growing suburb.

It is welcome news to Ben Wilby, who has children who attend nearby Strathfieldsaye Primary School.

“Our kids walk every day, so it is fantastic. We can rest easy now that they can use the traffic lights,” he said.

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Previously children walking to school or from the nearby sports oval had to go further down the suburb’s main road before they could safely cross Strathfieldsaye Road.

“It was OK, but that did not help on weekends and times outside of school,” Mr Wilby said.

The new lights would not only help students crossing the road, Mr Wilby said. They would also help car-bound parents during pick-up and drop-off times, when traffic could bank up “quite a way” up streets.

The final product that has been delivered is markedly different from the roundabout originally proposed for the site.

Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan said that following community consultation additional funding was added so that traffic lights could be installed and underground infrastructure shifted. 

That helped bring the project’s total cost to $4.5 million.

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Ms Allan said that the rethink was needed in part because the suburb had become increasingly important.

“There’s many communities that come in now and use Strathfieldsaye as their town hub,” she said.

“It was felt traffic lights were the best option.”

VicRoads operation manager Matt Guard said all that was left to do was landscaping and footpaths and should be completed in the next two to three weeks.