Roundabout still region’s riskiest

The Chester Pass Road-Albany Highway roundabout still remains the riskiest intersection in the Great Southern region according to the latest Main Roads’ statistics.

The roundabout has recorded 216 crashes in the past five years with an overall crash cost of more than $5 million.

The intersection crash ranking records data is from the past five years, ending December 31 last year.

According to the data, the York Street roundabout is ranked as the second most risky intersection in the region with 30 crashes.

The Frenchman Bay and Hanrahan Road intersection has moved from fifth most risky to third with six crashes in 2015.

The statistics also rank the Chester Pass Road roundabout as the ninth riskiest in the State.

Main Roads Great Southern regional manager Andrew Duffield said the number of crashes was negligible compared to the high traffic volume using the Chester Pass roundabout.

“There is no surprise there when you look at these crash rankings in Albany at the main roundabout,” he said.

“It overwhelmingly has the highest traffic volume going around but we are seeing a reduction in crashes around that.

“Crash frequency is quite high but in proportion of vehicles going around is quite small.”

Mr Duffield said about 38 000 vehicles used the roundabout on a daily basis.

Initiatives such as traffic lights and the Nationals’ ambitious tunnel or overpass have been floated as solutions to manage the high volume of traffic but Mr Duffield said various dedicated left slip lanes and the Albany Ring road project were the most viable solutions.