Success: residents’ anger grows at Brushfoot Blvd traffic

Residents say traffic has increased tenfold after Lamar Court was closed on August 26 as part of work on the new train station.

Traffic surveys in August revealed about 4200 vehicles were using Lamar to access Russell Road each weekday.

Once it closed, nearby Brushfoot Boulevard was instantly burdened with extra traffic.

“I would say it has spiked ten-fold, but it’s probably more than that,” resident Jennifer Crozier said. “It’s just so dangerous.”

Ms Crozier said traffic was now being pushed past Success Primary School and down roads with blind bends and roundabouts. “People can deal with congestion, but this about safety. This is terrifying,” she said.

Resident Jay Shiels said people were being abused simply leaving their own driveway.

The City of Cockburn has installed seven signs as a temporary measure to encourage non-local drivers to use Hammond Road to access Russell Road.

Cockburn’s engineering and works director Charles Sullivan said the City was undertaking traffic surveys to see what change there had been on Burshfoot Boulevard since Lamar Court closed.

“There are plans to repeat a large number of traffic surveys across that area in July and August next year, once the Aubin Grove train station is open and traffic patterns have settled,” he said. Mr Sullivan said the data would be used to determine what action needed to be taken to address traffic issues.

Success Residents Association vice- president Kim Sadlier said the council’s signs were not the answer.

“With Hammond Road being a major double-lane road there is an issue at the intersection of Russell Road as there are no traffic lights and this adds danger to motorists,” he said.

Mr Sullivan said a planned extension of Hammond Road could involve traffic lights at the intersection of Russell Road, but was someway off.

“This is tentatively planned for 2019-2021 depending on development activity in the area,” he said.

“This will need to include modifying the Hammond Road and Russell Road intersection to a full movement intersection treated as either a roundabout or, subject to Main Roads WA approval, as traffic signals.”

Comments about the road changes posted to the Cockburn Chat Facebook.

Noeleen Mackintosh: “Every one using Brushfoot Boulevard now, kindly use Hammond Road as my daughter likes to be able to pull into our drive way without getting beeped and I like to be able to get out of my driveway without a long line of cars blocking it. Many thanks.”

Gloria Bright: “I used Brushfoot tonight (August 26) and I thought at the time that it’s too narrow and dangerous for the amount of traffic.”

Steve Greenwood: Last night with Lamar being closed there was a queue of traffic all the way up Brushfoot trying to get through the lights. Again – lack of foresight is unbelievable. Why close a road and say seek an alternative route when the alternative route is already choked up. Blind Freddy could see this was going to happen.”

Lisa Tiernan: “This is progress people…or so they keep telling us.”

Steve Clark: This is an accident waiting to happen. Please, if you live on Brushfoot, keep a close eye on your kids. This is utter madness.”