VICROADS must fix a Footscray death trap as a matter of urgency, a Maribyrnong councillor says.
Cr Martin Zakharov said cyclists at the Parker and Whitehall streets intersection, the city’s most dangerous, took their life into their own hands crossing against heavy truck traffic.
The council is pushing for pedestrian/cyclist-operated traffic signals at the intersection while VicRoads and the state government work out their longer-term plans for the traffic-plagued route.
“The idea with the truck action plan was to do it all at once, to upgrade Shepherds Bridge as well,” he said.”It remains to be seen what is happening there, but it’s an issue now.”
VicRoads statistics for the site show there have been six crashes causing serious injury and two deaths in the five years to the end of 2010.
More than 300 cyclists use the crossing in the 7-9am peak each weekday.
VicRoads regional director Patricia Liew said VicRoads, Maribyrnong Council and Bicycle Network Victoria had carried out a detailed investigation into bicycle improvement works at the intersection.
“This proposal is being considered for future funding,” she said.
