Horne St and Gap Rd roundabout voted Sunbury’s worst intersection

SUNBURY residents are still frustrated at the notorious Horne St/Gap Rd roundabout, the latest Redspot Survey on hotspots shows.

The Horne St/Gap Rd intersection has been voted as Sunbury’s worst in the Redspot Survey. Picture: Dennis Manktelow

WHILE a solution is on the way, the Sunbury community still rates the Horne St/Gap Rd roundabout the worst in the town in the latest RACV Redspot Survey.

The survey, a biennial partnership between RACV, Leader Community News and 7 News, asks Victorians to rank the top traffic bottlenecks which make them see red.

The roundabout has long been the centre of frustration, often among the least popular in Melbourne in the survey – in 2014 it was considered the eighth worst in the state. But in May a $6.4 million project to convert the intersection into traffic lights was announced by Sunbury state Labor MP Josh Bull.

The upgrade will include dedicated turning lanes from all directions, signalised pedestrian crossing and bicycle lanes from all directions.

But the potential to manage traffic volumes if there are problems with the nearby boom gates on Station St is seen as its most valuable advantage.

On August 31, peak hour traffic was brought to a standstill after a vehicle drove through one of the boom gates just 150m away from the intersection.

About 21,500 vehicles travel on Horne St and 18,000 on Gap Rd each day.

Mr Bull said the upgrade of the intersection would make a difference.

“We have been long aware of the problems with the intersection and the change to traffic lights will improve traffic flow,” he said.

Mr Bull said the prospect of an extension of Elizabeth Drive to both Racecourse and Vineyard roads would further ease congestion issues in Sunbury, as would a yet-to-be determined third level crossing.

Sunbury Residents’ Association president Bernie O’Farrell said his group had made regular representations to council and the State Government over the intersection. And while the solution was better, there would still be some pain for motorists.

“It’s unavoidable but while the traffic lights go in there it will affect motorists for many months,” he said.

It remains to be seen whether the Red Spot survey has another bad rap in store for the intersection – at present the end date on works is set for mid-2018.

Six of the top 10 congestion hot spots named in this year’s RACV Redspot Survey fall within the corridor from Clifton Hill to Greensborough and Templestowe.

Number one was the meeting of the Eastern Freeway, Alexandra Parade and Hoddle St in Clifton Hill and, with recorded results going back to 2000, this was the first time this intersection had featured in the top 10.