Department of Transport and Planning updates timeline for activating long-delayed Wyndham St, Shepparton traffic lights due to interlinking with rail signals.
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Djembe Archibald
The Department of Transport and Planning has released an updated timeline for the activation of traffic lights at the intersection of Wyndham and MacIntosh Sts, almost five years after construction began.
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Department of Transport and Planning Hume and Loddon Mallee executive director Anthony Judd gave comment after The News reached out for an update.
“Planning for the switch-on of the Wyndham St, Shepparton traffic lights is continuing and we thank the community for their patience while this work continues,” he said.
The Department of Transport and Planning also provided a new timeline for the works.
These traffic lights require interlinking with adjacent rail signals along the Shepparton rail line, which must be done before the traffic lights can be turned on.
Stage 3 of the Shepparton Line Upgrade will be complete in December this year, the department said.
Works would take place while coaches replace trains on the Shepparton Line for all or part of the journey from Friday, October 31 until the last service Sunday, December 14.
Crews will carry out signalling construction along the line, including cabling and installing trackside signalling equipment between Seymour and Shepparton.
This is needed to complete the new signalling system, which will enable more frequent services on the line.
The signalling system must be completed before work can begin on interlinking and activating the traffic lights.
The News has reported on the traffic lights at the intersection of Wyndham and MacIntosh Sts for five years.
The News reached out to the Greater Shepparton City Council and V/Line for comment, who both referred any questions to the Department of Transport and Planning.
The new timeline from the Department emerged after a 13-month FOI request from The News.
Other documents included emails between an engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting firm called Stantec, Rail Projects Victoria and Regional Roads Victoria identifying the intersection and a public safety issue.
“Nearly all of the civil works and signal hardware installation has been completed and the site is currently operating as uncontrolled intersections with lanterns covered up,” An email from Stantec to RRV in March 2022 said.
“Pedestrian crossing line marking has been installed across GVH and there is no storage within medians which results in pedestrians either trying to cross five lanes at a time or huddling in front of the median pedestals.
“Stantec has been engaged ... to see if there is a potential interim traffic signal solution which could allow the signals to be switched on but not linked to the train line.”
This idea was supported by RPV.
“Whilst we are no experts in road design, I would have through having traffic signals not turned on and pedestrians crossing five lanes of traffic without the space to wait between carriageways poses a significant risk to road users and pedestrians,” the email said.
“Thus having the traffic lights and pedestrian crossings operating in a restricted capacity would be a better solution than not being operational at all in the short term.”
RRV responded to both Stantec and RPV declined to enter into discussion about an interim solution.
“We continue to be advised that DoT cannot accept the switch on without the cable monitor function being in place,” the email said.
“This is standard practice to ensure the two signals are not ever in conflict and allows the lights to flash amber if there is a signalling fault.
“Holding a joint risk workshop as proposed is unlikely to change this position.”
– This article is part of a three-part series about the traffic lights near SAM, which have sat unused for almost five years.
