Hyne Street Excelsior Road intersection an ‘accident waiting to happen’

If you’re going straight through to Barbecues Galore do you give way to the left? To the right? To anyone? And if you’re coming out of Aldi do you have right of way? People are confused, that’s for sure

Notorious Gympie intersection under council control at Hyne Street and Excelsior Road.

A video of one of one of Gympie’s most confusing and chaotic intersections had 9000 views on Facebook and drew more than 100 comments over the weekend.

Most people agreed the intersection of Hyne Street and Excelsior Road was a mess, and that it seemed most drivers had no idea who should be giving way to who.

The intersection handles all the traffic from McDonald’s, Aldi and Hungry Jacks, not to mention a string of other busy businesses and the local netball courts, just off the Bruce Highway and adjacent to the Central Shopping Centre.

Over the years it has undergone several minor changes as the Gympie council struggled to come up with the safest and most efficient way to move increasingly heavy volumes of traffic through the area.

The latest incarnation is the most baffling and came under heavy fire from some of our Facebook followers.

Donna Elsa Anderson said it was an accident waiting to happen.

“They need more defined give way signs,” she said.

Mellisa Collins said:

‘They need to just put it back to the way it was with the plain old Stop Giveway signs. The way it is now is confusing.’

Notorious Gympie intersection under council control at Hyne Street and Excelsior Road.

Brii Cummings said: ‘Definitely the worst! I’ve almost been hit a couple times due to people not realising or paying attention to how the road is now painted and signed!’

Michelle Liddicoat said: ‘How they were ever able to put so many large businesses in there is beyond me.’

Christine King said: ‘They need to do something about it before somebody is killed. Too many cars for such a small amount of roadway.’

Mitzi Staib said: ‘It is one of Gympie’s worst into sections. Something needs to be done before somebody gets killed.’

Matt Hudson said all drivers need to is follow the centre line. Going from or to Maccas from the highway you don’t give way to anyone. If you are crossing the centre line you have to give way, he said.

Some people agreed it was confusing and suggested possible solutions to the chaos, including a roundabout, putting it back the way it was and installing clearer signage.

Matisse Andersen said: ’They should block off Hungry Jacks entry from that lane. Make it walk in only there and have the only drive in available on the highway. It will easily reduce the traffic flow there and without a huge inconvenience.’

Other driver said they just avoided the area altogether. A small percentage of people who commented said they did not find it confusing and that people just needed to have more common sense and patience.

Lachlan Davis said: ‘I don‘t think it’s confusing, but it is a narrow mess for the huge amount of traffic it gets. Should have been upgraded many years ago.’

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Originally published as Hyne Street Excelsior Road intersection an ‘accident waiting to happen’