FAQs

Funding applications were sought regarding locations that were subject to high crash rates and severity within the City of Mitcham area. The Angas Road/Sussex Terrace roundabout was successful for funding as part of the Australian Government 2021/2022 Blackspot Program.

Black Spot projects target road locations where crashes are occurring. By funding infrastructure such as traffic signals and roundabouts at dangerous locations, the program reduces the risk of crashes. Programs of this sort are very effective, saving the community many times the cost of the relatively minor road improvements that are implemented. For individual sites such as intersections, mid-block or short road sections, there should be a history of at least three casualty crashes over a five-year period.

The Angas Road and Sussex Terrace roundabout upgrade proposal includes the installation of road speed cushions and the modification of the islands on all approaches to the roundabout. Safety measures are also proposed for cyclists with the introduction of bicycle symbols and green line marked cycling lanes. This project will also consider improvements to street lighting.

In the space of 5 years, there have been three crashes (resulting in injury), all between vehicles and cyclists. These crashes indicate the error was vehicles failing to give way to the cyclist in all instances. A review of the roundabout illustrates that vehicle speeds when entering the intersection are high, and the roundabout is also not clear in determining movement priority with cyclists and vehicles.

This upgrade was proposed to address the severity of injury between cyclists and vehicles. By reducing the approach speeds of vehicles, through the introduction of narrower road treatments and the speed cushions, we reduce the potential severity of accidents involving vulnerable road users. By promoting better connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians, we offer an alternative to negotiating this busy intersection by segregating cyclists and vehicles.

Based on the improvements, we are hoping to seek feedback from the community in terms of how to improve the current conceptual design, so that in turn we may progress the design further to be ready to undertake construction in 2022.