31 Jan 2018 Wangaratta Chronicle, Wangaratta VIC (General News) by Freyja Postlethwate $117,000 to bolster our streets A YEAR of hard work and campaigning has paid off for a Wangaratta pedestrian safety action group. Safe Streets Wangaratta formed in early 2017 to advocate for the installation of safe crossing points along Murdoch Road to make crossing the road safer. Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) met with group members last year to discuss their ideas, and on Monday announced $117,000 from the Building Our Regions fund would be provided to the Rural City of Wangaratta to facilitate the safety improvement project. VicRoads and city council will explore options to make Murdoch Road near White Street, and at Crisp and Harper Streets safer for pedestrians. Possible safety improvements could include the installation of a raised platform to make drivers more aware of pedestrians or island refuges to provide pedestrians with greater protection. Council contributed $10,000 toward the works. We are really rapt this is happening so quickly, committee member Victoria Mallinder told the Wangaratta Chronicle. There are a lot of schools and kindergartens in the area but there isnt anywhere for students to cross. It can be quite daunting to cross, even on weekends, theres a lot of traffic going both ways and most travel at 60 kilometres per hour. Ms Mallinder added she hoped to see more crossings added in the area, including on Murdoch Road near Vincent and Vernon Roads. VicRoads will consult with Safe Streets Wangaratta and the community to coordinate the improvements. Works are expected to be completed by mid-year. Ms Symes said the grassroots project was a perfect example of parents advocating for the needs of the community and for the safety of local children. Some pretty impressive local safety advocates approached me about these projects several months ago, she said. Theyd done the work, developed a council submission and were seeking funding support. I am very pleased that the Andrews Government has been able to respond quickly and provide funding to ensure pedestrians using this road will soon be safer. A third project to install a new island refuge on Snow Road in Milawa also received funding. Caption Text: SAFER STREETS: Safe Streets Wangaratta committee member Victoria Mallinder (left) discussed the benefits of the new pedestrian crossings to be installed on Murdoch Road with Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria). PHOTO: Leah Anderson-ByrneLicensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.