AS A RESIDENT of Toodyay who uses the Sandplain Road and Salt Valley Road intersections with Toodyay Road daily, I observe many near-accidents.
It is with that background that I question the intent of all activists, environmentalists, Safe and Scenic Toodyay Road members and Shire of Toodyay Environmental Advisory Committee in their efforts to delay the planned roadworks for this disastrous section of road.
We continue to delay, ignore and stifle improving Toodyay road safety at our own peril.
A road death will occur due to unsafe road conditions and it will be on all of our heads.
This is not if, but when.
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Road safety from a road construction sense is about several things, including:
Road vision – we have to remove more vegetation from all our roads to make them safer. This is happening all over the state.
A tree in the wrong place is a weed.
Road width – many of our roads are not the correct width from road verge to road verge. Traditionally many of our roads are still single-lane road criteria, with a double-lane road built on it. A civil lawsuit against a local shire and/or
Main Roads will happen.
Straightening roads where possible.
Making road gradients more even.
Sufficient passing lanes in hilly, high traffic areas.
Making road intersections safe.
The Sandplain Road and Salt Valley Road intersections with Toodyay Road, like many others, could not be built today because they are of unsafe design/location.
Ongoing opposition and not applying common sense to improving road safety could possibly lead to loss of funding for these works, and loss of life.
It has been delayed long enough – let’s get the job done.
Owen Catto
Toodyay
