Port Phillip Council orders safety audit of Elwood’s Addison St bridge following smash

It’s taken more than four years of campaigning and an elderly woman left fighting for life after she was hit by a car — now a “dangerous” Elwood bridge could finally get a safety upgrade.

Elwood Residents have for years been lobbying for safer road conditions at the Addison St bridge where an elderly pedestrian was struck last week week.

An elderly woman was left fighting for life after being hit by a car on a “dangerous” Elwood bridge last week — despite years of campaigning for urgent safety upgrades at the site.

Residents have been lobbying for something to be done about the Addison St bridge since 2015, saying it’s “only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed”.

And their fears were confirmed when on July 15, a 74-year-old Elwood woman was struck by a car as she crossed the road.

The woman was taken to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition, with injuries to her chest and head.

Port Phillip Council has now vowed to pay for an independent road safety audit of the bridge.

It comes more than four years after it was first called on to enhance traffic control measures at the site.

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Acting Mayor Louise Crawford told the Leader previous traffic studies “did not identify any issue warranting changes to be made”.

“Crash statistics reviewed for this location revealed there had been no reported crashes to require the implementation of traffic control devices,” she said.

“However, in view of the recent accident (which is the only recorded crash at this location to date), we are commissioning an independent road safety audit of the bridge.

“If any safety hazards are identified, a report recommending ways of addressing them will be prepared for council to consider.”

Elwood resident Helen, who did not want her surname published, said it shouldn’t have to take a serious smash for something to be done.

“Every week there’s a near miss there,” she said.

“I don’t know why it needs to take a fatality or serious accident for something to be done.”

Cr Crawford said a number of changes had been made to the site in response to residents’ concerns, including reducing the speed limit on Addison St from 50km/h to 40km/h, installing warning signs at the bridge and cutting back vegetation to increase sightlines for drivers and pedestrians.