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The Little Forest Road intersection with the Princes Highway has been labelled a black spot for more than 20 years, but all that could change within 12 months, with new plans in the pipeline.
Residents have thrown their support behind a proposal to create a new intersection to the south of the existing one in an effort to improve traffic safety.
The Roads and Maritime Services has two options for the upgrade, with work on the preferred route expected to commence late this year, following community consultation.
The RMS will present the options at two community briefings in March before deciding on a final option.
But residents seem to have made up their minds, with more than 20 meeting with the Times at the intersection on Monday to throw their support behind the prefered southern route.
The second option was to upgrade the intersection at the existing hill-top location.
Resident of 25 years Terry Marchello, said the solution was obvious to residents and the RMS.
“We need the intersection moved south, to simply upgrade the existing one would be ridiculous and would not solve the problem,” he said.
“People take a risk every time they drive out of the intersection and it needs to be moved.”
A race car driver, Terry said he plans his turn south very carefully so that he can accelerate at speed to pull into the traffic from the blind intersection.
Property owners of 41 years, John and Rosemary Howard have been lobbying for the upgrade for more than 20 years.
“There have been a number of serious accidents and it is just a matter of time before someone is killed,” Rosemary said.
“Everyone is anxious turning out towards Milton.”
John said he knows of people have moved out of the street to avoid using the intersection.
“This is by far the most dangerous intersection between here and Sydney,” he added.
Val Williams said she recently pulled out in front of a truck that “zoomed up” and sat close behind her as she sped up.
“It’s un-nerving,” she said.
“I avoid using the intersection during busy times - it’s ridiculous.”
Sue Taylor had a near miss while riding on the back of her husband’s motorbike recently.
“We had to shoot out into the traffic and straight away there was a car upon us,” she said.
Sue is also planning to set up a cooking school on her property and said a new intersection would be far safer for her clients, especially those from out of the area who don’t know the road.
New comers Zac and Tanya Stollznow have lived in Little Forest Road for only six months and said, while they love their property, they would have reconsidered buying it had they realized the dangers the would face turning out of the road every day.
“We have had to ask our neighbours how to get out safely and everyone has their own technique,” Zac said.
“I will often turn north and drive along and turn around to head south,” Tanya added.
Minh Nguyen, who lives on the northern corner of the intersection, welcomed the proposed change and said he would also like the highway speed limit lowered from 100 to 80 kilometres an hour following a series of accidents as cars negotiated the bend on the crest of the hill.
While the solution seems obvious to residents, they will have a chance to have their say on the improvements and are invited to attend a meeting at 5pm on March 4 at 19 Little Forest Road or meet RMS staff during the Milton Village Markets on March 7.
Federal Black Spot funding worth $1.9 million has been earmarked for the project, with work expected to start on the chosen route this year and to be completed in 2016.
The RMS already owns a corridor of land between Little Forest Road and Croobyar Creek which was purchased for an eventual by-pass of Milton.