Eastfield Rd, Railway Ave and Morinda St safety improvements

Stage 1 of the project has now been completed, including a retaining wall along the southeast corner of the intersection to support improved gradients and overall accessibility of the pedestrian crossing during the second stage of works. These works are now completed.

Works included alterations to the intersection alignment, pedestrian footpath and kerb ramp connections, and installation of the traffic signal infrastructure and street lighting.

Works are now complete on the south-eastern corner of the intersection.

Supplementary road pavement, asphalt resurfacing works and line marking is now underway and forms the final stage of the project. All civil works will be completed by the end of July, with final asphalting and line marking works expected to take place in the first week of August.

This intersection has been identified as a Black Spot due to recent crash history. Between 1 July 2017 to 31 December 2021, three crashes, including one fatality and two serious injury crashes were recorded. Two of the recorded crashes involved pedestrians.

In response to the relevant crash history and community concerns regarding the safety of pedestrians and motorists using the intersection, Council undertook an extensive Safety Improvement Study, working with a specialist traffic engineering consultant. The Study reviewed:

• Regular traffic volumes and movements in precinct, including bus routes
• Current function and operation of the intersection for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists
• The complex grades and geometry of the intersection
• Viability of alternative intersection designs.

The study recommended the installation of traffic signals at the intersection to address the recent crash history and current safety and access concerns.

During the course of the study, Council undertook engagement with the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning (DTP, formerly VicRoads) and a Senior Road Safety Auditor, receiving independent feedback and in-principal support for the recommended traffic signals treatment. 

Feedback from DTP and the Auditor was incorporated into the concept plans produced for the recommended traffic signals treatment, including a proposed reduction in the speed limit of Railway Avenue west of the intersection to 50 km/h.

Under the Australian and Victorian Government’s Black Spot Program, $1,356,000 has been allocated for installing traffic signals at the intersection of Eastfield Road, Railway Avenue and Morinda Street.

Key safety and operational benefits of the proposed traffic signals and associated changes include:

• Improved pedestrian access across all legs of the intersection, including to the bus stops on Railway Avenue immediately west of the intersection
• Dedicated and separated phases for vehicle movements which resolve sight distance issues, for example, currently occurring on the Eastfield Road north leg when right and left turn vehicles queue side-by-side
• Increased visibility of the intersection for approaching motorists unfamiliar with the area, through the installation of traffic signal mast arms and additional street lighting, as required
• Improved safety and consistency on Railway Avenue west of the intersection through reducing the speed limit to 50 km/h. 

Speed limits throughout Victoria are managed in accordance with DTP’s Speed Zoning Technical Guidelines, which recommends a speed zone of 50 km/h for local streets in built up areas. In contrast, a 60 km/h speed limit is appropriate for Eastfield Road as a local road which carries significantly higher traffic volumes.

The proposed speed limit reduction to 50 km/h on Railway Avenue was a recommendation of the Road Safety Audit to support the safe operation of the new traffic signals. This will provide a consistent speed limit along Railway Avenue to support safety and access along this road. Traffic at the Victoria Street intersection will also benefit from the speed limit change, following the 2024/25 project to realign Railway Avenue and Victoria Street to a standard T-intersection.

The permanent speed limit reduction on Railway Avenue to 50 km/h will be implemented in Stage 3 of the project .

• Traffic-Signal-Plan-Eastfield-Road.pdf(PDF, 523KB)
• Civil-Design-Plans-Eastfield-Road.pdf(PDF, 14MB)