FOSM has hosted two Community Consultation Forums for interested residents and members conducted by VicRoads.
The Plenty Road duplication project is a State Government funded project to extend the duplication of Plenty Road at South Morang for 2.4 km, providing two lanes each way between Gordons Road and Riverdale Boulevard.
It will have existing traffic lights at The Lakes Boulevard and Hawkestowe Parade upgraded.
It will have on-road bicycle lanes on both sides connecting to the existing Plenty Road bicycle lanes.
It will have bus priority lanes at The Lakes Boulevard and Hawkstowe Parade intersections.
It will have a wide centre median to provide for possible extra lanes if needed in the future.
FOSM and Resident Concerns
There will be no right hand turn from Gordons Road into Plenty Road and this intersection will not be controlled by traffic or pedestrian lights. This is a major inconvenience for residents who will have to drive north to the Lakes Blvd intersection and do a u-turn at the traffic lights.
Whilst the bus stops on either side of the Gordons Road intersection will be compliant with disability access legislation, pedestrians will have to walk 450 on the western side of Plenty Road on a continuous footpath to the nearest set of traffic lights in order to cross the road safely.
This is controversial and unacceptable for people with disabilities, children, the elderly and parents with prams.
There is a distinct risk that some pedestrians will try to cross Plenty Road at the Gordons Road intersection after alighting from a bus and will be involved in a collision with oncoming traffic.
There are already numerous examples further south along Plenty Road near RMIT where traffic lights are at every intersection. VicRoads' refusal to install traffic lights at the Gordons Road intersection is unreasonable and members and residents at the Community Consultation Forums have told them so.
Use this link to find out more about the Plenty Road Duplication Project
Use this link to go directly to the Home page of the Friends of South Morang Inc.
Plan of the Duplication Project
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Residents' Concerns
Courtesy of the Whittlesea Leader 26 April 2011
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Political Controversy
Courtesy of the Northern Weekly 26 April 2011
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Hawkstowe Estate
The Plenty Road Duplication project will extend past the entrance to Hawkstowe Estate
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