Northern Victoria Region
Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (14:12): My question is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. Will the government expedite the upgrade of the Urquhart Street and High Street intersection in Woodend by immediately releasing the design plans for consultation and committing to fund the works? The intersection of Urquhart Street and High Steet, which is the C792 in Woodend, poses a serious safety risk to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. It is a four-way intersection with no traffic lights and a confusing layout, with parallel service lanes on High Street merging into the junction. Traffic congestion has greatly increased since a large supermarket opened across from the intersection in 2018, and police reports of dangerous near misses at the intersection are increasing. It was reported in 2022 that the Department of Transport had already begun work on designing the intersection upgrade, and Macedon Ranges Shire Council recently passed a motion asking the government to release the designs for public consultation. The state Labor government must stop delaying this vital upgrade.