Scroll down for the Minister’s response, or click here to discover more about how we’re working for Wendouree.

Original constituency question from Juliana Addison MP to Parliament –

My constituency question is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety regarding intersection upgrades in Alfredton in my electorate of Wendouree.

I love Alfredton. It is where I grew up and where my mum still lives. It is a great part of Ballarat, and that is why so many people are choosing to live there. Over the last decade we have seen significant population growth in the new housing estates across Alfredton West, increasing road users in the area. This is why the investment in intersection upgrades on Learmonth Street at Cuthberts Road and at the roundabout at Sturt Street adjacent to the Arch of Victory are so necessary.

Minister, how will the Learmonth Street intersection upgrades benefit my community?

I look forward to hearing the minister’s response, because I know there are going to be so many benefits to these upgrades, particularly for the many, many students travelling to and from local schools from Alfredton by bike, by car and by bus as well as by walking, and I know that these intersection upgrades are going to make Alfredton even safer.

Response from the Hon. Melissa Horne MP, Minister for Roads and Road Safety (29 August 2024) –

I thank the member for Wendouree for her question.

Learmonth Street is a local council road connecting to the suburbs of Lucas, Alfredton, Delacombe, Winter Valley and Cardigan. The intersection at Cuthberts Road (also a local road) is a key link to schools, residences and shopping precincts. More than 20,000 vehicles use the Learmonth Street and Cuthberts Road intersection each day. This number will continue to increase due to significant growth and development in Ballarat’s West. The nearby Learmonth Street and Sturt Street intersection is a key route for the Ballarat community, connecting to the city centre, secondary schools and recreational facilities. This section of Sturt Street is an arterial road. Both intersections become heavily congested during school times due to their proximity to several nearby primary and secondary schools, with motorists experiencing queuing and delays as well as limited crossing opportunities for pedestrians and active transport users.

Improvements to the Learmonth Street and Cuthberts Road intersection include:

• a new dedicated left turn lane from Cuthberts Road into Learmonth Street,
• a new dedicated right turn lane from Learmonth Street into Cuthberts Road,
• a new pedestrian-operated signal crossing on Learmonth Street, near Beaufort Avenue, and
• an on-demand traffic signal to pause north-bound vehicles entering the intersection from Learmonth Street and ease queuing in Cuthberts Road.

Improvements at the Learmonth Street and Sturt Street intersection include:

• an additional right turn lane from Learmonth Street on to Sturt Street.

The benefits of this project include reduced delays and queuing during peak times and improved pedestrian and active transport safety, particularly for students and families attending nearby primary and secondary schools. It will provide improved access to schools, recreational facilities and shopping precincts.

The works for this project commenced in July and are due for completion by the end of 2024.

Watch and read more of my speeches to Parliament here, including responses from ministers on how we’re working for Wendouree.