Light on vote vow

A BORONIA intersection would receive a set of traffic lights under a Baillieu state government, Liberal candidate for Ferntree Gully Nick Wakeling announced last week.
Mr Wakeling said a Liberal Government would provide $500,000 for traffic lights at the corner or Torrens Avenue and Boronia Road.
“The lights are desperately needed in Boronia and I’m so pleased the Liberals are delivering them,” Mr Wakeling said.
“This section of Boronia Road is particularly dangerous and congested because of the through traffic and the number of cars travelling through the Boronia Shopping Precinct.”
Knox City Council confirmed a need to investigate the potential for lights at the intersection had arisen during the consultation process for its Draft Boronia Structure Plan.
Council engineering and infrastructure director Ian Bell said the intersection had been identified as a potential site for State Government Blackspot funding after a spate of accidents in recent years.
“Council will be reviewing which projects will get priority for Blackspot funding before submitting this year’s application for Blackspot funding to VicRoads,” Mr Bell said.
But Mr Bell did not go as far as Mr Wakeling, who claimed the council had identified the intersection as a priority for an upgrade.
“To date, council has not considered this intersection a priority against the other priority projects competing for Blackspot funding,” Mr Bell said. – Ed Merrison