The intersection of Centre Road and Bignell Road in Bentleigh East will be upgraded to improve safety and provide better access to nearby schools, shops, residences and recreational spaces.
It is part of the Andrews Labor Government's $117 million Local Road and Intersection Upgrade Program, which is targeting suburban roads across Melbourne, reducing bottlenecks and improving safety.
Bignell Road will be upgraded with new traffic lights installed at the Centre Road intersection, with the road also widened to provide dedicated turning lanes.
Cyclists will be safer with the addition of a bicycle box on Bignell Road, bicycle detectors and additional line marking.
Minor changes to the traffic signals at the intersection of Centre Road and Mackie Road will be made to tie into the new intersection and keep traffic flowing through the area.
St Peter's Primary School and St Bede's College students will benefit from the upgrade, as well as those visiting the nearby shopping strip and Centenary Park.
It is a further boost for Bentleigh locals, with the Jasper Road and Brewer Road intersection upgrade, delivering new traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, road widening and bike facilities.
Construction will start in 2023. As part of the project land will be acquired from St Peter's Catholic Church.
Eight crashes have been recorded at the intersection in the last five years, seven involved vehicles turning right out of Bignell Road.
Works on the nearby South Road Upgrade project are nearing completion, with three out of five intersections upgraded. The Jasper Road, Nepean Highway and Bignell Road intersections have been upgraded, with motorists now benefiting from improved traffic flow at these intersections.
As stated by Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll
"This intersection provides access to a number of local schools, properties, parks and other amenities, which is why it is important we deliver upgrades to make it safer for all road users."
As stated by Member for Bentleigh Nick Staikos
"We are continuing to invest in upgrades which will improve traffic flow for the Bentleigh community and make it safer for them to get where they need to go."
