Speed limits will be dropped on a number of residential streets in the Yarra Valley in a bid to improve safety for community members and motorists.
The Department of Transport (VicRoads) has agreed with Yarra Ranges Council to drop speed limits on roads in Coldstream, Healesville and Yarra Glen, following an application by Council last year.
Speed limits will shortly be dropped on the following roads: Lauriston Drive, Coldstream – 60km/h to 50km/h, Station Street, Coldstream – 70km/h to 50km/h, Old Healesville Road, Yarra Glen – 100km/h to 80km/h, Lilydale Road, Healesville – 60km/h to 50km/h.
Yarra Ranges Mayor, Richard Higgins, said that, while lower speed limits weren’t always popular, they would improve safety for everyone in the community.
“Last year, we sent a survey out to the wider community and to residents living on these roads, asking them to share their thoughts about lowering speed limits,” Cr Higgins said.
“Though we received a large number of responses that didn’t support lowering speed limits from the wider community, residents living on the roads surveyed overwhelmingly supported lower speed limits.
“Because of that support from residents, we applied to VicRoads and will now install lower speed limit signs along these four roads.
“We know that lowering speed limits isn’t popular, but the simple fact is that traffic moving even just 5km/h slower can dramatically reduce the risk of serious injury or fatality in an accident.
“We expect that, on average, drivers will only be adding a minute to their commute with these new speed limits – and residents and motorists can be assured that the roads will be safer as a result.”
The speed limit reductions are a result of Council’s Integrated Transport Strategy, Connected, which lists Council’s Vision Zero goal – where there will be no deaths on Yarra Ranges roads.
Designing streets to minimise risk of collisions and the severity of accidents will help every person to travel around the region safely, no matter what mode of transport they use.
Signage will be installed on Lauriston Drive, Station Street, Old Healesville Road and Lilydale Road before the end of July, with warning signs for motorists about the new speed limit.
This announcement comes after the Department of Transport had already lowered speed limits along the Maroondah Highway between Coldstream and Healesville and along the Warburton Highway in Seville East.
