The most confusing intersections frustrating Melbourne drivers
Featuring “spaghetti junctions”, multiple lanes and even tram tracks, these are the most confusing intersections in Melbourne.
Leader
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Frustrated motorists have unleashed on their most hated intersections across Melbourne, with confusing “spaghetti junctions” and multiple lanes leaving drivers with sweaty palms.
Leader readers have nominated the worst intersections in Melbourne, with the “5 Ways” in Mooroolbark, Springvale Junction, Keilor Rd and Mt Alexander Rd in Essendon and Princess St and High St in Kew all making the list of the most hated.
See the list of the most confusing, mind-boggling intersections across Melbourne.
Mooroolbark 5 Ways, Mooroolbark
Drivers have to navigate three roundabouts in succession within a few metres of each other at the Mooroolbark 5 Ways, often leading to chaos.
Local driver instructor Tony Salomone, from Pro Am Driving Schools, said speeding drivers, and those who tried to change lanes, caused the most trouble at the intersection.
“Then you get some people who look at it at think ‘What the hell is this’,” he said.
“They can be slow and confused.
“But others think they’re good and go 100 times faster – so you get a mixed bag.
“Usually it isn’t the intersection that’s the problem, it’s the people who use them.”
Mr Salomone said he often saw people changing lanes when they shouldn’t be and regular accidents at the intersection.
“Those who think they’re really good at (navigating) it drive too quick and some have actually mounted the roundabout,” he said.
“When you have a multi-lane roundabout anywhere in this country you don’t switch lanes for a start,” he said.
“If you’re not in a lane that takes you where you want to go then you just have to go where it takes you and do a U-turn and come back.”
Mr Salomone advised drivers to look at each roundabout on its own, and not treat it as one big intersection.
“You get people who look at it as a whole; really you should look at it as three different roundabouts,” he said.
“But instead of it being a few kilometres away they are only a few metres away.
“If you treat them as separate it works out easier.”
Springvale Junction
Springvale Junction, more commonly known as the Spaghetti Junction by locals, is by far one of the most confusing intersections in the state.
It’s the point where Police Rd, Centre Rd, Springvale Rd and the Princes Highway (Dandenong Rd) meet and offers motorists a total of 29 places to turn across 10 traffic lights.
This notorious intersection has been earmarked for upgrades by VicRoads after being categorised as a black spot area because of the frequency of accidents, with one motorist losing her unborn child when she was hit by another driver who failed to give way.
Wendel Thomas who works at Supercheap Auto told Leader he’s had a near-miss on Springvale Rd, and often has to explain to customers how to get out of the junction.
“It’s very confusing, when I first started working here maps told me I could turn right but it didn’t look very safe,” he said.
“There’s traffic coming from everywhere and you just kind of have to keep eye out.
“A lot of customers come in and say they drove past the store three, four times and then they ask for help to get back out and through the junction.”
Surrounded by shops, shopping centres and food joints upgrades to the crossing would be no small feat meanwhile visitors’ confusion remains high.
Jack Allen said he had only driven through the intersection a handful of times but it was enough to make him uncertain.
“I don’t come here that often, but I’m working a job this week around the corner and have gone through the intersection a few times,” he said.
“The other morning I was turning right from Springvale Rd and ended up in the wrong lane, then the light in the middle of the intersection turned red and I kind of just had to hope for the best.”
Oban Rd and Wonga Rd, Ringwood North
This intersection received almost $250,000 in upgrades from the federal government in 2015 for modifications after it was identified as a local black spot.
It has room for one lane of traffic entering from Oban Rd, but halfway through the roundabout, drivers have to either split off into one of two marked lanes, depending on whether they are continuing onto Oban Rd or heading in another direction.
Wonga Rd resident Jenny, who didn’t give her surname, said the traffic build-up she experiences near her home in peak times was “dreadful”.
She also felt problems stemming from the intersection came down to some drivers’ attitudes.
“The drivers are impatient and they want to fly through the roundabout,” Jenny said.
“The traffic is dreadful during school drop off and pick up … if I want to get out (of my driveway), someone has to let me in because it’s bumper to bumper.”
Boldrewood Parade and Broadway, Reservoir
Boldrewood Parade and Broadway in Reservoir is a busy five-road roundabout intersection that baffles drivers with how they should indicate to exit the roundabout.
To make matters worse, the intersection has no traffic lights or crossings and is located near several schools, endangering the lives of many pedestrians every day.
Brea Acton is mother to a grade one student at one of the nearby primary schools, who she walks with to school every day.
She said the five exits at the roundabout meant turning cars were unpredictable.
“You don't know what the cars are going to do … cars are just shooting around this roundabout.”
Keilor Rd and Mt Alexander Rd, Essendon
If you’re from interstate, the “shocking” intersection at Mount Alexander Rd and Keilor Rd might throw you into a fit of despair.
There’s a lot going on at the roundabout which features two lanes with a tramline running through it. Add in the pedestrian crossing just nearby and you’ll find a lot of horns honking at peak time.
The intersection was the centre of a tragic day for Essendon as two car accidents happened within hours of each other on
A 99-year-old Essendon North woman died from her injuries after a crash involving her mobility scooter and a tram. Hours earlier, a woman’s car had to be towed from the scene after a crash involving a tram but she escaped with minor injuries.
The two incidents were enough to provoke an emotive response from Moonee Valley deputy mayor Samantha Byrne.
“This is horrendously sad news and my thoughts are with everyone involved and the family and friends of the lady who was struck,” Cr Byrne said on Facebook.
“As a council, we have been advocating for improvements to this shocking intersection for a long time and it‘s devastating to see another person pass away,” she said.
Clyde-Five Ways Rd and South Gippsland Hwy, Devon Meadows
The Clyde Fiveways Rd and South Gippsland Highway intersection looks simple enough when you approach it from afar, but once close up and surrounded by cars and huge semi trucks travelling upwards of 80 km/h, it’s a different story.
The intersection is a perfect storm of chaos, as Clyde Fiveways Rd has two entrances and one exit onto the South Gippsland Highway, all of which are accompanied by an entrance from Fisheries Rd on the opposite side.
The tangle of vehicles coming on and off the road is daunting for even the most seasoned driver.
Clyde resident Joan Abella said the intersection still scared her, despite having lived in the area for a decade.
“It’s truly scary to drive through especially in peak hours,” she said.
“Even driving my kids to school or to their activities, sometimes I feel as though we are going to get wiped out by a truck.”
Kew Junction and Princess St, Kew
The meeting place of five roads with cars, trams and cyclists all trying to get through makes Kew junction one of Melbourne’s more confusing intersections.
What sets this intersection apart is the number of traffic lights, with one local telling Leader they had seen people entering via High St South on the wrong green light.
Bethany Hayes, who used to drive through the intersection on her way to work, said drivers need to be switched on when approaching.
“Unless you’re a regular to the area, the intersection at Kew Junction is extremely confusing to navigate as a driver. With such a huge amount of traffic, multiple sets of lights, pedestrian crossings and trams, you’ve got to be on you’re A-game or you’ll end up deviating from your route significantly.”
Cranbourne Rd and McMahons Rd, Frankston
The controversial P turn debuted in Frankston in 2009 to reduce congestion at the intersection of Cranbourne Rd and Moorooduc Highway.
Under the P-turn, drivers cannot turn right off Moorooduc Highway into Cranbourne Rd, but rather have to turn left into Cranbourne Rd and head towards Frankston, then do a U-turn.
Initially a temporary measure introduced while Peninsula Link was being built the P turn was made permanent in 2015.
Since then, two more have been added to Melbourne’s road network in Collingwood and Richmond.
The uncommon rule was implemented at the notorious intersection at Hoddle and Johnston streets.
At the time, the RACV said the manoeuvre was confusing.
“The term itself is of US origin and makes sense if you drive on the right-hand side of the road. But we don’t, which makes it confusing,” the organisation said in a statement.
“It certainly doesn’t look like a ‘P’ when you drive on the left side of the road.
“We’ve been calling it the ‘remote right turn’ because it better describes what a driver has to do.”
The group added that one of the “problems” with the P-turn was that it “can be confusing to new or infrequent users of the intersection”.
“The idea that to turn right you need to go past the location and complete a U-turn … could be confusing.
“On congested roads, a driver may be in the right lane to turn right then find they need to be in the left lane to turn left.”
Tarneit Rd and Heaths Rd, Hoppers Crossing
The dual lane roundabout at Tarneit Rd and Heaths Rd is a daunting site for many drivers.
The biggest complaint from locals and drivers regularly passing through this roundabout is there not being any traffic lights,
One local also raised concerns that plants and trees obscure vision and cause many “near misses”.
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