By Oliver Winn
People living in Wandin East, Wandin North and Yellingbo will have a safer driving experience with new funding designated to improve five dangerous crash sites in the Casey electorate.
The Federal Government’s Black Spot Program will fund $3.97 million to install safety features, such as kerb and channel installations, high-friction overlay and road humps.
State Liberal member for Evelyn Bridget Vallence said she’s been advocating for safer roads in the Yarra Valley for years and that it’s been a long time coming.
“Since 2021, I’ve called on the government twelve times in Parliament to fix Clegg Road and Wellington Road, Queens Road, Hunter Road and Beenak Road due to regular accidents and some tragic fatalities,” she said.
“It’s good to see, finally, that vital funds have been allocated to upgrade these notoriously dangerous roads and intersections to make them safer for motorists and pedestrians.”
The safety upgrades being installed are as follows:
Queens Road and Wandin East Road will have $1.99 million spent on installing a compact roundabout with raised safety platforms on all four approach legs, along with improved signage and line marking.
While Clegg Road and Wellington Road will see new road humps, kerb and channel installations, a splitter island and pavement upgrades totalling at $1.43 million.
Beenak Road and Queens Road will see its intersection realigned to a staggered T-intersection on Beenak Road.
On Macclesfield Road (between Giles Road and 931 Macclesfield Road) $189,660 will go towards applying a high-friction overlay at two bends, improving grip and reducing skidding risks.
Lastly, $359,000 will go into Beenak Road and Hunter Road to install road humps on the approaches to the intersection, slowing vehicles and reducing collision risks.
Senator Lisa Darmanin said every road user will see the difference this investment will make for the communities.
“Safe roads don’t just save lives—they also give communities peace of mind. Whether it’s parents driving their kids to school, workers commuting, or emergency services responding to calls, these improvements will benefit everyone who travels through the area,” senator Lisa Darmanin said.
But Ms Vallence said the Federal Government should’ve acted earlier in delivering this funding.
“I understand accidents happen at the intersection of Clegg and Wellington Roads every 6 weeks on average, so this funding is overdue.”
She was critical of the State Labor Government for taking too long to deliver the works, as while the funding comes from the Federal Government, the works are undertaken on a state level.
“Hunter Road, as an example, has been identified as a Black Spot for over a decade, but despite the intersection with Beenak Road being next to Wandin Yallock Primary School, it’s taken a close election for funding to be announced, and even with that the details about when these projects will be delivered for our community is not clear.”
No timeframe was provided for when these works were expected to be completed.
