Greenhill Road / Hallett Road intersection upgrade works commence

Concept design for the intersection

To improve community road safety, the Greenhill Road/Hallett Road intersection will be upgraded following a successful grant allocation from the Federal Black Spot Safety Program.

Greenhill Road is under the care and control of the Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT). A staged, formal design process has been undertaken that includes consideration and approval by DIT as it progresses. Complexities and considerations have delayed the works due to the unavoidable bus and heavy vehicle movements having to be accommodated.

Detailed design has been undertaken to upgrade the intersection based on a DIT approved concept plan included on the reverse of this letter. This design has now reached 100 per cent completion.

The upgrade involves restricting the right-hand turn from Hallett Road into Greenhill Road to one lane. A dedicated right turn lane into Hallett Road from Greenhill Road will be created and there will be a dedicated lane for traffic turning right out of Hallett Road onto Greenhill Road.

Efficiency of right turn movements from Hallett Road will be improved due to the dedicated receiving lane on Greenhill Road. Traffic modelling indicates this will offset the loss of the second right turn lane.

It is anticipated that these arrangements will reduce the vehicle conflict at the intersection and make it simpler and quicker to move through. In particular, the focus is to address the high number of right angle crashes.

The upgrade works will include resurfacing the intersection, installing a small traffic island, landscaping of the central island, minor kerbing realignment and new line marking. Minor extensions to on-street parking restrictions are also required.

It is anticipated that the works will take approximately four to six weeks to complete.

Council apologises for any inconvenience this may cause, however these works are essential to ensure improved safety of the area.

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In October 2020 Council submitted a funding application for the program after concerns had been raised by residents about the intersection. As part of the application process, Council arranged for an independent assessment of the intersection to be undertaken that confirmed the need for crash mitigation and intersection improvement works.

A Black Spot intersection is defined as one where three ‘injury’ crashes have occurred within a five-year period. At the intersection of Greenhill Road and Hallett Road, 28 crashes occurred at the intersection with ten (10) of those resulting in injury within the relevant five-year reporting period 2014 to 2019. Of the ten (10) crashes, eight (8) were a result of ‘right angle’ or ‘right turn’ crashes. Note: the human body is particularly vulnerable to injury from ‘side on’ impact.

Greenhill Road is an arterial road under the care and control of the Department of Infrastructure and Transport while Hallett Road is a primary collector road under the care and control of the Council. It is estimated that approximately 10,000 vehicles travel through this intersection every day.

The proposed treatment will involve the modification of lane line markings, kerb alignments and the installation of a seagull traffic island. This will reduce right turn movements from Hallett Road into Greenhill Road from two lanes down to one in addition to creating an exclusive receiving lane for west bound traffic. An exclusive right turn lane will also be created for vehicles turning into Hallett Road from Greenhill Road.

The changes will also include:

• Modified slip lane kerb returns that will better accommodate bus turning movements within this intersection.
• A much simplified and clearer intersection that removes uncertainty created mostly by the two uncontrolled, offset right turn lanes on the Hallett Road approach.
• A review of public street lighting and upgrades as part of this project to provide greater visibility of the intersection at night time.

Given the overwhelming community road safety benefits this project will achieve at no financial cost to Council, the project work will commence as soon as practicable.