Immediate review requested into the design and speed limit of Midland Highway intersection following fatal crashes
Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson has ordered an urgent review into the design and speed limit of a Midland Highway intersection following a second serious crash at the location in two weeks.
Tasmania
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INFRASTRUCTURE Minister Michael Ferguson has ordered an urgent review into the design and speed limit of a Midland Highway intersection following the second serious crash at the site in two weeks
A Bridgewater woman, 67, was killed and a child, 6, was seriously injured in a crash between a car and a ute at the junction of the Midland Hwy and Highland Lakes Rd on Friday.
The child, who was flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital, remained in a serious but stable condition on Saturday afternoon.
The incident came after two people in their 80s suffered injuries when their car and a truck collided at the same intersection on July 4.
Mr Ferguson on Saturday said he had requested an urgent briefing from the Department of State Growth into the safety and adequacy of the intersection.
“We owe it to road users to closely review the design and speed limits at this intersection,’ he said.
“This review will consult with the communities and councils of Southern Midlands and Central Highlands.
“Further, I have requested the urgent consideration by the independent Commissioner for Transport of a reduction in the speed limit on the Midland Hwy in the vicinity of this site while the review is undertaken.”
Mr Ferguson said his thoughts and prayers were with the families and friends of the deceased woman and the child who was seriously injured.
The review comes after several locals on Friday criticised upgrades made to the intersection.
Central Highlands resident Robert Cassidy, 65, was unfortunate to witness the aftermath of both crashes and said he too had almost been involved in an incident at the same location last year.
“It’s almost like when you can see something is a problem, and fear something is going to happen again, and then it does,” he said.
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Mr Cassidy said changes to the intersection including the installation of wire barriers, which he claims reduce visibility, and the removal of a slip lane had made it “precarious” for drivers.
Lindsay Seabrook, manager of the nearby Melton Mowbray Hotel, arrived at Friday’s scene about a minute after the crash.
Mr Seabrook, who also assisted at the crash on July 4, agreed something urgently needed to be done to improve the intersection.
“There’s no slip roads, so it’s hard to merge into the traffic,” Mr Seabrook said.
“You’ve got to come out of a give way sign straight into 110km/h zone. The speed limit needs to be knocked down.”
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A Maltese x Shih Tzu dog belonging to the deceased woman’s 11-year-old granddaughter, which escaped from the car after the crash was found alive and well about 11pm on Friday night.
It is unclear who discovered Maggie but a search party had been looking for her near the highway earlier in the night.
chanel.kinniburgh@news.com.au