A Mt Hawthorn street just metres from a crash hotspot has been closed in an attempt to improve the safety of a “confusing and unsafe” intersection.
The City of Vincent council has permanently closed Birrell Street to make room for Main Roads WA to build a roundabout at the Scarborough Beach Road-Green Street intersection, with construction expected to start later this year.
The decision was carried unanimously at a council meeting last Tuesday night.
The busy intersection — which is on the border of the cities of Vincent and Stirling — has long been a headache for local drivers.
Vehicles driving south-west from Green Street on to Scarborough Beach Road are currently forced to wait at a two-stage road crossing, marked by stop signs in the middle of Green Street.
“I think many of us are well aware of how very confusing and unsafe this particular intersection is,” Cr Nicole Woolf said at last Tuesday night’s meeting.
“I know I’m filled with anxiety, particularly at that two-stop process coming from Green Street to Scarborough Beach Road.”
Mayor Alison Xamon raised concerns about cars rat-running from Green Street towards Scarborough Beach Road.
“I know that it is affecting residents and I understand there’s a history behind it and that it’s problematic,” Ms Xamon said.
“I’m wondering if there’s some way that other traffic calming measures can be utilised, for example … only being able to left turn rather than right; that would certainly stop a lot of the rat-running going from Green Street down Scarborough Beach Road.
“This is a problem we’re facing in Vincent isn’t it; we’ve got rat-running everywhere, we’ve got increased congestion and I’m really looking forward to the State Government giving us huge amounts of money to deal with the increased amount of traffic.”