Hume Fwy drivers will know that intersection well with a series of accidents in the past few years.
State Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes said electronic signs that temporarily reduced freeway speed by 30 km/h while cars merged from the side road would be installed.
The project will see two such installations with the other at the Sharps and Taylors Rd, junctions at Tallarook.
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Ms Symes said the project was part of the Victorian Government’s $25 million statewide initiative to improve safety at high-speed, high-risk intersections across regional Victoria.
“We’re undertaking critical intersection improvements on the Hume Fwy to make it safer for everyone using our roads,” Ms Symes said.
“This new technology will make a significant difference at Tallarook and Baddaginnie, by making crossing or merging onto the freeway safer.”
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The Side Road Activated Speed (SRAS) signs are triggered by sensors that detect approaching vehicles on the side road – reducing speed from 110 km/h to 80 km/h until there are no more vehicles waiting to turn.
This improves safety by giving drivers waiting on the side roads more time to enter the freeway safely, while giving freeway drivers more time to react if the side traffic fails to give way.
The temporary slower travel speed will also significantly reduce the severity of crashes when they are unavoidable.
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Safety will also be improved near Winton, where access to the Hume will permanently close from the southern arm of Bowers Rd.
The closure comes in response to three serious crashes, in which two people people tragically lost their lives and one person sustained a serious injury.
Drivers will be redirected via Winton-Glenrowan Rd to nearby freeway entry points at Winton and Glenrowan.
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Emergency services will still be able to access the southern arm of Bowers Rd via a Freeway Emergency Access Gate – a standard safety measure where access is restricted.
The vital safety upgrades on the Hume Fwy are part of the Victorian Government's $1.4 billion investment in reducing road trauma being delivered by the Department of Transport in partnership with the TAC.
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