Baw Baw Shire Council has welcomed a $723,000 funding boost from the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC)'s Safe Local Roads and Streets Program to improve safety on two important roads in Warragul.
This funding will go towards improvements in Bowen Street and Sutton Street and are expected to be completed over the next 12 months. Together, the projects will make these roads safer for all users, and pedestrian priority crossings on both project roads will encourage inclusive activities along the Warragul Linear Park Arts Discovery Trail.
Bowen Street
The Bowen Street road safety improvements will deliver targeted measures to improve pedestrian safety and create a safer speed environment along the corridor.
A new raised pedestrian priority crossing on the Warragul Linear Park Arts Discovery Trail, on Bowen Street south of Sutton Street, that links with a similar crossing on Sutton Street will improve pedestrian visibility, establish clear crossing priority, and reduce pedestrian delays.
Reducing the posted speed limit for the full length of Bowen Street from 60 km/h to 50 km/h will improve safety for all road users.
Sutton Street
The Sutton Street project will deliver a package of traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements between Tarwin Street and Copelands Road. The project includes two raised priority pedestrian crossings, three raised safety platforms, and a change in the posted speed limit from 60 km/h to 50 km/h.
The raised pedestrian crossings will improve visibility and safety for pedestrians and trail users, while supporting safer and more accessible connections through the area. Raised safety platforms will also be installed at key locations to assist in reducing vehicle speeds and improving driver awareness in residential and pedestrian activity areas.
These traffic-calming measures, combined with an updated speed limit on Sutton Street, will create a safer, lower-speed environment for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
Baw Baw Shire Mayor Councillor Kate Wilson welcomed the funding boost for these crossings.
"Council is committed to ensuring the safety of pedestrians in Baw Baw Shire and we are very grateful for the support of the Victorian Government through the funding of these two important upgrades," she said.
"These locations have been identified as high-risk areas for pedestrians. These works will help address existing safety challenges and create a safer environment for our community."
Works are expected to be delivered progressively over the next 12 months, with further information to be provided to the community as the project progresses through detailed design and delivery planning.
The improvements are projected to be complete by mid-2027.
