IT’S reminiscent of cult 1980s video game Frogger, but unlike the digital frog which players guide, dodging and weaving across a busy road and croc-infested river, cyclists don’t get three lives running the gauntlet at the intersection of Whitehall and Parker streets in Footscray.
The intersection is Maribyrnong’s most dangerous crossing for those on two wheels or two feet. According to VicRoads statistics, there have been six crashes causing serious injury and two deaths in the five years to the end of 2010.
Yet more than 300 cyclists use that crossing in the 7am-9am peak each weekday.
To illustrate how many near-misses occur on a daily basis, Greens MP Colleen Hartland has produced a 30-minute time lapse video at the intersection as part of her “Bike West” campaign to get the state government to commit funding in the May budget for cycling hotspots.
Ms Hartland said the video showed how dangerous this intersection was for all involved, but particularly for cyclists and pedestrians.
“Cyclists unaffectionately call it the ‘B-double weave’, but a 70-or-so-kilogram person on a bike has no chance when faced with a 62-tonne truck.
“VicRoads has acknowledged the site needs to be fixed and has designed and costed an upgrade – traffic signals with separation for bikes and cars/trucks.
“It’s ready to go, so this community campaign aims to convince the government to fund it. Cyclists in the west want a safe passage to work and back home. Is that too much to ask?”
VicRoads acting regional director Damien Afxentis said it was aware of community concerns over the intersection and had developed a proposal to improve safety that included bicycle/pedestrian-operated signals and line-marking. “These improvements will be considered for funding. VicRoads will evaluate the results of the Road User or Abuser campaign and use these results to develop future communications for bike riders and other road users.”
More about the Bike West campaign: bikewest.org.au
