Warrenheip locals want firm plans for eastern-most Ballarat exit to Western Highway

After countless near-misses at the Old Melbourne Road intersection, Wednesday morning saw a series of accidents involving four vehicles nearby - and traffic banked up more than 1km to the Kryal Castle turnoff.

A refrigerated B-double came to rest in a ditch in the median strip about 6.30am, as Ballarat-bound traffic was diverted down a service lane. About an hour later, a delivery van, truck and sedan collided near the Mill Markets. No one was seriously hurt.

"They talk about widening and fixing the highway, but some of those businesses at Warrenheip and Woodmans Hill don't know if they're going to be closed down and demolished," Committee for Warrenheip secretary Kirrily Liddle said.

"Changes to the area have been put on hold. There are no designs - and no certainty about what is going on.

"It means no one will fix anything along there - then these buildings become eyesores."

She said plans for an overpass were released more than 20 years ago, but appeared to have been scrapped, with no replacement announced.

Ms Liddle also had concerns about multiple large tracts of land available for sale in Warrenheip - and the potential for it to be taken up by 'big box' retailers.

"There are some huge things about to happen in Warrenheip - including a 119-room hotel," she said.

"We're worried that the dangerous intersection of Old Melbourne Road will be just an after-thought."

She said the busy corner was already a problem and needed to be fixed first.

Old Melbourne Road forms part of Ballarat's 'defacto eastern ring road' - and is a popular shortcut to Geelong, the Midland Highway, Buninyiong, Federation University and several secondary schools.

"I just think Warrenheip and this side of town in general has been forgotten," Ms LIddle said.

"Everything seems to be happening on the other side of Ballarat."

Iverson Huang from the Ballarat Colonial Motor Inn said while his motel was now the first one travellers saw as they came into Warrenheip, traffic noise and blackouts caused by accidents were a problem.

"We always seem to have accidents in the Ballarat-bound lanes. I think it's something to do with the speed limit," the motel owner said.

"A lot of people don't pick on the speed limit changes after driving a long distance on the Western Freeway."

He suggested extra signage reminding drivers of the current speed limits - or extending the 80kmh zone another 1km east to avoid 'surprises' from a crest as Melbourne drivers came into Warrenheip.

"I also think we need extra signage up the highway for the motel.

"I don't want people slamming on the brakes so they don't go past us."

Mr Huang also suggested that a section of the current 80kmh speed zone be further lowered.

"I think 60kmh between the Mill Markets and the Ballarat exit would be okay," he said.

"There are so many businesses in this area - and there is also a sharp left turn into Old Melbourne Road.

"Some people already have trouble turning off from the motel into the highway already.

"There are also drivers who have trouble getting out of the petrol stations."

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