Main Roads rejects lights

Main Roads has rejected the suggestion of traffic signals at the Albany Highway-South Coast Highway intersection and Chester Pass Road roundabout, despite it being ranked in the top 10 riskiest intersections in the State.

The Albany Advertiser reported on Tuesday the RAC Risky Roads Survey had ranked the intersection the ninth riskiest intersection in the State and the number one riskiest intersection in regional WA for its confusing intersection layout as well as the conflict with the nearby roundabout and high volume of heavy traffic.

Main Roads Great Southern general manager Andrew Duffield said the survey, which suggested co-ordinated traffic lights to make it safer, would not be a viable option due to size restrictions.

"For the South Coast Highway intersection you couldn't (put) traffic signals directly there because they're too close to the roundabout," he said.

"You'd get traffic backing up through the roundabout. So traffic signals there would mean a realignment of that intersection further to the north."

Albany MP Peter Watson said he agreed with the RAC findings and suggested the Government could invest Royalties for Regions into fixing the intersection and roundabout risk.

"It's an accident waiting to happen up there," he said.

"My main concern is we are going to have to wait for a serious accident to happen before anyone will do something about it.

"The more trucks we take off that roundabout the better because you only have to have one accident with one of those big trucks and the results could be disastrous."

Mr Duffield said alternatives to traffic signals include the long-term option of the Albany Ring Road project or short-term slip-lanes.

The Albany Ring Road project, which completed stage one linking Chester Pass Road and Albany Highway via Menang Drive in 2007, is awaiting construction funding before Stages 2, 3 and 4 can start.

"At the moment the roundabout is operating effectively with the levels of traffic but we are planning for what might be required to cater for further growth," he said.

"It's about having efficient transport access to the Port … but also enhancing the safety of the urban road network in the city by removing the conflict of this heavy vehicles with the urban commuter traffic."