The intersection of Morrison and Farrall roads in Midvale will be upgraded to make it safer.
Camera IconThe intersection of Morrison and Farrall roads in Midvale will be upgraded to make it safer. Credit: Supplied/Bruce Hunt

‘Death trap’ to get upgrade

Reid Highway-Lord StreetHills Avon Valley Gazette

The dangerous intersection, dubbed a ‘death trap’ by residents, has been named one of three Black Spots in the eastern suburbs that will be upgraded under the Black Spot program in the 2014-15 financial year.

Lesmurdie’s Welshpool Road East and Lesmurdie Road intersection will receive $75,689 to provide left and right turning lanes, while Forest Lakes Drive, from Warton Road to Garden Street in Thornlie will get $350,000 for lighting.

The City of Swan and Shire of Mundaring, which are jointly responsible for the Midvale intersection and made a joint application for funding, were successful in securing $250,000 to modify traffic signals with right-turn arrows.

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There have been 36 crashes and one fatality reported at the site in the five years to December 31, 2013, with nine crashes alone last year.

Calls to make the intersection safer were renewed in August 2012 when a 25-year-old Morley man died in a collision.

It was reported in the Midland Reporter in October last year that State Parliament had been told the City of Swan and Shire of Mundaring had failed to nominate the intersection for an upgrade in the 2013-14 round of black spot funding.

Both councils denied the claim, insisting it was always the intention to apply for the 2014-15 round of funding.

Midland MLA Michelle Roberts said she was thrilled about the funding.

‘I have been arguing for the past two years that this intersection needed to be made safer,’ she said.

‘There was confusion about the boundary between Swan and Mundaring, but it is great that both councils have responded and jointly applied for the funding.

‘It is satisfying to know that the money will be going towards saving lives.’

In the 2014 Federal Budget, the Government committed an extra $200 million to the Black Spot program over the next two years. The funding is in addition to a $300 million base committed to the program throughout 2014-15 and 2018-19.