On Wednesday, July 31, Moira Shire Council administrators Graham Emonson and Suzanna Sheed joined CEO Matthew Morgan and Project Manager Paul Diffey to announce the upgrade at the corner of Campbell Rd and the Murray Valley Hwy in Cobram.
“Council has been successful in applying for funding through the federal infrastructure investment Black Spot Program for $258,000 for the improvements at this intersection,” Mr Diffey said.
“That will involve increasing the distance from the 60km/h to the 100km/h speed limit changes from the intersection, so vehicles would be slower on the approach to the junction.
“There will also be changes to the warning signs, improvement to the line marking and street lighting.
“As well as installation of some side-road-activated advanced warning signs to alert motorists on the Murray Valley Hwy of the approach of vehicles on Campbell Rd.
Mr Diffey said the junction was earmarked for upgrades due to a history of bad accidents.
“That is based off records from the past five years,” he said.
“The aim, of course, is part of our commitment to achieve a net-zero (no fatalities) by 2050 on Australia's road network.”
These upgrades represent the first stage of improvements. Mr Diffey said there were future plans for further improvements also, but funding had not yet been confirmed.
“That will involve the installation of turning lanes at the intersection,” he said.
“It will be right-hand turn and left-hand turn decelerating operation lanes to assist vehicles in turning from the Murray Valley Hwy into Campbell Rd.”
Ms Sheed said the council had secured funding for several sites in the shire.
“I'm very grateful for this funding because deaths on country roads are something that we all hate to see happen,” she said.
“Even at an intersection like this where there is a speed limit on it, deaths can happen, and we've had serious injuries here.
“We're really very pleased to be able to get to a point where we can construct some improvements now, and know that there's another stage coming where it'll turn into a much more significant and better-constructed intersection.”
