By Jed Lanyon
A Healesville family is concerned about the lack of pedestrian crossing infrastructure along the Maroondah Highway coming from the Coldstream direction.
There are three bus stops on either side of the highway between Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road and Ayres Road which runs opposite to the BP service station.
But the closest crossing stands one kilometre away in the main street of Healesville.
Samantha Stribbling and her father Chris Carroll live along the Maroondah Highway and said the highway is a dangerous road to cross for students heading to and from the bus stops.
Crossing the Maroondah Highway is a regular occurrence for Ms Stribbling’s three children, aged six, nine and eleven.
“The cars don’t necessarily do the 60 kilometre speed limit… It’s so busy and there are no crossings here for kids to be able to cross to get to school,” she said.
“I have seen kids run across the road and cars have to brake to stop.
“Most kids come between 8.00 and 8.30am and then at 3.30 and 4.00pm,” Ms Stribbling said.
“If you do get a break with the traffic coming one way, there’s no break when it’s coming from the other way.” Mr Carroll said.
Ms Stribbling would like to see a pedestrian crossing installed anywhere along the 900 metre space on the Maroondah Highway between the three bus stops, or other measures such as a pedestrian protective island installed in the middle to make crossing easier.
The pair said that while the other side of Healesville has several opportunities for pedestrians to cross the road safely, the side where they live has been neglected.
During peak hour, cars can be seen turning around along the Maroondah Highway and then using the bus stop to pick up children coming home from school.
A spokesperson from VicRoads’ Department of Transport said, “We welcome feedback from the community on the roads they rely on every day and continuously monitor our network.
“We’ll inspect the area to determine if there are any improvements required to boost pedestrian safety along Maroondah Highway in Healesville.”
According to Vic Roads, in the five year period ending 31 December 2018, there were three recorded casualty crashes on the Maroondah Highway between Ayres Road and Henry Street, resulting in five minor injuries (not requiring hospitalisation).
None of these crashes involved pedestrians.
