MORNINGTON roads campaigner Ken McBride says members of the community would be “surprised and disappointed” to learn that there are no immediate plans to have Mornington-Tyabb Road widened and upgraded and even less chance of improving Bungower Road.
Mornington-Tyabb Road – an arterial road – is managed by the Department of Transport while Bungower Road is managed by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. Both are busy at all times of the day and especially in peak periods. (“Wrong turn on narrow roads” The News 27/7/20).
Mr McBride, who has a background in local government roads management and planning, said the shire had made it clear it does not have the funds to perform the necessary works.
“I recently met with council officers in front of the St Macartan’s Primary at school finish time and they conceded there was a significant problem [with traffic], but had no funds to rectify anything, except add pedestrian traffic lights which were being installed last week.
“This will stop the traffic but it has a time delay between activations, rather than being at the whim of the crossing supervisor.”
St Macartans is said to be contemplating applying for a second gate to ease traffic flow within the school grounds, but there would be a significant cost to build a driveway and connection back onto Bungower Road.
“It appears these roads [are] basically unchanged over the past 100 years, but the population has escalated considerably in Mornington and adjacent suburbs in the past decade or two and continues to do so,” Mr McBride said.
“Ideally Mornington-Tyabb and Bungower roads should both be duplicated carriageways. A flyover or grade separation at the Moorooduc Highway intersections would be the dream of residents, and even traffic lights would be a great improvement.”
Mr McBride said Mornington-Tyabb Road was in “poor condition, resembling a patchwork quilt following patches and repairs to potholes over many years”. He said repair works to 20-30 potholes east of Dunns Road in the past two months had already deteriorated. “This road is basically a single lane carriageway from Nepean Highway to Tyabb and is one of the two roads which carry Mornington and environs’ traffic to the Moorooduc Highway and Peninsula Link. During peak times there are long delays at Racecourse Road and Moorooduc Freeway.”
The Department of Transport’s executive director metro south east Vince PunaroI said intersections along Mornington-Tyabb Road at Dunns Road, Nepean Highway and George Avenue were “scheduled to undergo asphalt renewal works within the next few months”.
Mr McBride said Bungower Road near St Macartans at drop-off and pick-up times was a “nightmare with gridlocks occurring and driver frustration often leading to road rage and danger to vehicles and pedestrians”.
The shire’s acting executive manager infrastructure Tom Haines-Sutherland said traffic on Bungower Road had increased considerably since the construction of Peninsula Link.
“Management and upgrade of key east-west links, such as Bungower Road, will be considered as part of an integrated transport strategy for the shire, which is currently under development,” he said.
He said pedestrian operated signals were being installed near St Macartan’s Primary School”
It is widely acknowledged that traffic problems are exacerbated by not having a complementary railway link.
The Department of Transport asphalt improvements for Bruce Road and Racecourse Road were “earmarked” for the next resurfacing “season”.
It acknowledged that “population growth and increased development in Melbourne’s south east is leading to increased traffic volumes along both Bungower and Mornington-Tyabb roads”.
First published in the Mornington News – 25 May 2021
