Weeks after a new roundabout was finished on one of Ballarat’s busiest roads, critical lighting is still not turned on, and Powercor was only asked to check it last week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Drivers say the complicated new roundabout on the new Link Road and Learmonth Road needs to be illuminated so people can get through safely.
Glenn Kramer drives through the intersection daily.
He said the lack of street lighting made the roundabout dangerous.
“At night time, if you're leaving town heading Miners Rest way, the layout of the roundabout, how it sweeps in and out, without the lights above it make sit quite difficult to see,” he said.
“They opened the roundabout weeks ago, and who knows when they are going to turn the lights on?”
The roundabout is part of a multi-million dollar project connected to the Ballarat West Employment Zone, and connects Learmonth Road to the Ring Road.
There are merging lanes coming out of the intersection and a give way sign for cars heading into Ballarat from Miners Rest.
These are hard to see in the dark.
VicRoads said Powercor has to audit the 30-plus lights before they can turn them on, according to a spokesman.
“VicRoads is working closely with Powercor as they complete their audit of the street lighting scheme. This is a Powercor process to ensure that all elements of the street lighting are up to a safe standard,” he said.
“In the interim, temporary lighting has been installed so drivers can see the intersection ahead and a 60km/h speed limit will remain through the roundabout.”
VicRoads has placed a light in the roundabout itself.
Powercor says the audit was delayed because the contractor stuffed up the paperwork, but the process only started last week, with a successful request only coming through on Thursday.
“The contractor on the project applied for a Powercor final audit on Friday 13 May. However, the audit was rejected as details were missing from the application,” said a spokeswoman in a statement.
“Powercor replied with a request for missing information on Monday 16 May and the information was then provided with a satisfactory audit request, received (Thursday) morning 19 May.”
“The next steps for this are for a successful audit to take place on Tuesday 24 May and to be approved, if no outstanding issues are found. The contractor will then be required to forward all necessary documentation over to Powercor and we then take ownership of the asset.”
“We estimate that the lights will be energised in approximately a week.”
