SIX notorious intersections on Sturt Street will be changed with VicRoads finally releasing plans for the long promised upgrades.
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The changes will occur at intersections including Lyons Street, Raglan Street, Errard Street, Windermere Street, Ascot Street and Talbot Street.
The works will begin in the second half of this year and will see Windermere Street blocked off to north-south traffic at Sturt Street.
Talbot, Errard and Lyons streets will become double u-turn only intersections while lights will be placed at the Ascot and Raglan streets intersections.
In the past 10 years, 135 people have been injured in crashes at these intersections, while there have been countless other minor incidents as well.
VicRoads has completed consultation with the public and business owners in the past three months in order to finalise the designs with more than 300 people putting forward their opinions as to what needed to happen at the intersections.
"The feedback we've heard from the people of Ballarat is that they agree something needs to be done - that's why we're taking the steps to make it safer for the 20,000 drivers who use this road each and every day," Regional Roads Victoria's chief regional roads officer Paul Northey said.
He said the safety improvements are the result of a series of collaborative workshops involving a dedicated group of more than 70 Sturt Street traders.
Works are slated to begin in the second half of the year, beginning with the installation of traffic lights at the Raglan and Ascot street intersections.
Potential bike lanes continue to be a work in progress.
In January, the State Government released three planned options for all of the six intersections.
At the time, it said all options including double u-turns, traffic lights and the closure of north-south traffic were on the table as possible fixes.
Initial plans put forward by VicRoads were rejected by the State Government in February last year with Premier Daniel Andrews ordering the authority to go back to the drawing board.
Upon releasing the three new options for consultation, Roads Minister Jaala Pulford said something had to be done to limit the collisions on Sturt Street before more people were seriously injured.
"Something needs to be done to address the safety of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians along Sturt Street and we're making sure that the whole community can be involved in discussions around how we achieve that goal," Ms Pulford said.
"Delivering projects like the upgrades to Sturt Street and Mair Street will make sure Ballarat gets the safe and reliable road network that our city needs."
Mr Northey said a public reference group was continuing to work towards identifying a preferred location for a bike path in Ballarat's CBD, with the last of the group's three scheduled meetings set to take place this month.
He said Regional Roads Victoria is delivering upgrades along Sturt Street as part of the Ballarat Safer Cycling Connections project, in partnership with the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).
To view the full plans and to keep track of the project go to regionalroads.vic.gov.au
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