Has Queensland's Main Roads Department CREATED a DEATHTRAP?

It's not a case of IF a bad accident will happen, but WHEN

In a recent very expensive highway upgrade, Queensland's Main Roads Department has converted what was no problem into a potential major death trap. And after public criticism, they made cosmetic and useless changes to rectify the problem.

On the stretch of Gold Coast Highway through Mermaid Beach, they narrowed the centre island and added an extra bus lane to each side of the highway.

They also changed the layout where Venice Street and Bondi Avenue join the highway.

Venice Street joins the southbound lanes from the east, and ALMOST opposite it, Bondi Avenue joins the northbound lanes from the west.

Previously at this point, there was a light-controlled pedestrian crossing on the NORTH side of Venice St. And a few metres north of it was an opening in the median island which allowed traffic from either direction to do uncontrolled u-turns, but from dedicated turn lanes. Vehicles entering the highway from Venice Street could do so at any time when traffic permitted. The median island meant that vehicles exiting Bondi Ave could only turn north, whilst it also forced vehicles exiting Venice St to turn south.

However, in their " WISDOM ", Main roads have changed all of that, and created a disaster waiting to happen. There are already anecdotal reports of accidents at the spot, and this is before the changes are still not even two months old!

The following map demonstrates the problems that have been created. It's true that if drivers obeyed the traffic laws, then there would be few problems. However we all know what some drivers are like, and there are numerous opportunities for impatient ones to take dangerous shortcuts here.

With the upgrade, Main Roads have made the following changes:

• Traffic lights now control traffic entering the highway from Venice Street
• The pedestrian crossing is now on the south side of Venice St
• An opening has been created in the median strip almost directly opposite Bondi Ave. This is designed to allow traffic travelling north on the highway to do a u-turn. That u-turn traffic is controlled by traffic lights. NO traffic lights face Bondi Ave. Vehicles entering the highway from Bondi Ave are EXPECTED to turn north along the highway.
• An opening has been created in the median strip north of Venice St. This is designed to allow traffic travelling south to do a u-turn. That u-turn traffic is controlled by traffic lights.

So what is wrong with the new arrangement you might ask? Certainly Main Roads haven't!

The following are just some of the problems which I have already observed.

• MANY drivers IGNORE the traffic lights controlling entry to the highway from Venice St. In part, this is because they are forced to wait quite a long time before they can enter the highway.
• Prior to the lights changing to allow traffic to enter from Venice St, they stop the southbound highway on the north side of Venice St. Since pedestrians also have to wait quite a long time to cross the highway, many start walking when they see the south-bound traffic stop, even though they may still be facing a red light to stop them crossing. Some do not realize that traffic may come from behind them out of Venice St. Additionally some pedestrians cross against the lights when they observe a break in the southbound highway traffic. With some drivers ignoring the lights coming out of Venice St also, they may hit the pedestrian.
• Drivers entering the highway from Venice St must only turn left to head south. Some who want to head north cut across and illegally use the southern u-turn gap in the median strip to turn north.
• Drivers entering the highway from Bondi Ave should only turn left to head north. Some who want to turn south cut illegally across and use the southern u-turn gap in the median strip to turn south.
• Some drivers who have been parked at the shops on the south side of Venice St have cut across to the southern u-turn gap to turn and go north.
• A significant number of drivers waiting to do u-turns on the highway simply ignore the lights, and turn when there is a break in the oncoming traffic.
• I witnessed a garbage truch attempting to use the u-turn lane. The combination of the sharp turn required, plus the length of the vehicle, meant that the driver was unable to make the turn on a single lock, and had to reverse back to complete the turn. This to the dismay of the driver of the following vehicle who suddenly found a large truck reversing on to him. And this was when there were NO vehicles parked at the kerb which could reduce his swing even further.
• I have witnessed vehicles travelling north use the turn lane for vehicles heading south and turned across to go into Venice St.
• I witnessed a rubbish truck trying to solve the u-turn problem. It drove down Bondi Ave, did a u-turn, then drove straigh across the highway to turn south. Unfortunately the driver had to wait for southbound traffic to clear, so sat in the u-turn lane with the back of the truck blocking the fast lane of the northbound traffic!
• This was reported to me by two different witnesses, but I have not seen it myself. A vehicle heading north used the southern u-turn gap and drove across the corner, headed the wrong direction in the southbound lanes, and into the exit lane from Venice Street.
• There is a fairly sharp incline between the two highways on the pedestrian crossing. A new multi-story nusring home is under construction one block from this crossing. Older people with walkers have some difficulty on this slope. The highway is now effectively eight lanes wide, and if they are slow they do not have sufficient time to cross before the lights change. If they become stranded between the two highways, there is NO button in the centre that they can press to trigger the pedestrian crossing lights. Whilst collecting signatures at the site for the petition mentioned below, I heard car horns sounding. When I looked up I saw an elderly man had fallen in front of a car stationary at the crossing. The following cars were sounding their horns to get the first car to move. I don't know why he fell, but before I could get across to him, a pedestrian came from the footpath on his side and helped him to cross the road.
• I have not personally witnessed this breach, but it was reported to me by a reliable witness. Apparently some vehicles exiting Bondi Ave are driving to the wrong side of the island at the entrance to the street and crossing to the u-turn lane on the highway to await the turn lights. Of course this action exposes them to a collision with vehicles exiting the highway into Bondi Ave.

The Gold Coast Sun did a story in its edition of 20th August 2008 which highlighted the newly created danger spot.

Subsequently the Main Roads department issued a media release dated 16th September 2008 which read
" Venice Street/Bondi Avenue temporary u-turn facilities closed to motorists.
Temporary u-turn facilities at a new signalised intersection under construction on the gold Coast Highway at Mermaid Beach will be closed as of Monday 15th September. Main Roads South Coast Acting Regional Director Andrew Cramp said for pedestrian safety the u-turn facilities at the Venice Street and Bondi Avenue intersection would be closed to vehicles. " Serious concerns have been growing about dangerous driving at this location, with drivers making illegal u-turns against the red signals and risking the safety of pedestrians," Mr Cramp said. " To allow pedestrians to safely cross at the intersection, motorists will be unable to make a u-turn until work is completed next weeek. " Linemarking, signage and new efficient traffic lights are being installed this week, with proper extended u-turn bays to be completed and open to motorists next week. " Main Roads thanks the community and drivers for their continued patience while construction takes place, " Mr Cramp said.

So what changes did the Main Roads incorporate to prevent the illegal use of these u-turn lanes? The photographs below show the " improvements !" They simply installed some stock-standard " no right turn " signs at the lanes. They also faced one into Bondi Ave. However a driver encountering that sign could interpret it to mean that they cannot turn right into the north-bound traffic, but that it was legal to cross to the u-turn lane.

When it is observed just how much this upgrade has changed this section of highway for the worse so that a significant number of drivers are flouting the law, one has to wonder if anybody from Queensland's Main Roads Department planning section has even bothered to visit the site, or did they design the changes simply from a plan?

What's the solution?

I'm not a planner, so I am not qualified to say. However it is obvious to anybody who watched this area for a short period that SOMETHING has to be done before there is a death or serious injury. And Main Roads should be held partly to blame if that is the case. However, the previous design of crossing and u-turn areas was FAR BETTER than the current design, and should be reconsidered. Basically to restore that configuration would mean that the lights controlling entry to the highway from Venice St be removed, the pedestrian crossing moved back to the northern corner of Venice St, and the u-turn lanes moved back to north of the pedestrian crossing.

The quote about not fixing it if it isn't broken never held so true in this case.

OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS HIGHWAY

The fence erected between the highways has caused a lot of resentment, particularly with businesses who are seeing their income slashed through reduced patronage. The pedestrian crossings are several blocks apart, and businesses are finding that people who have to cross the highway to access them are simply not bothering if they have to walk too far to a crossing. As a result there have been several incidents of vandalism to the dividing fence, and some people are simply vaulting the fences. Not a desirable practice in the centre of two busy highways where the speed limit is 70 kph!

Actions undertaken by me to resolve the problem and the responses

20th August 2008 - Article in Gold Coast Sun referred to above.

22nd August 2008 - Contacted RACQ about the problem - no response received

26th September 2008 - Email sent to Warren Pitt MP, Minister for Main Roads. There has been NO acknowledgment or response from the Minister.

26th September 2008 - Sent address of this page to the RACQ

29th September 2008 - RACQ acknowledged receipt of my advice - they are to inspect the area during a scheduled visit within the next two weeks - stated they had contacted Main Roads following my earlier email

3rd October 2008 - Contacted Fiona Simpson MP, Shadow Minister for Main Roads

7th October 2008 - Acknowledgment email received from office of Fiona Simpson

16th October 2008 - Email from Fiona Simpson, Shadow Main Roads Minister, offering to follow up if there is no satisfactory response from the Main Roads Minister

23rd October 2008 - RACQ responded with the results of their inspection of the site. Their solutions to the problems raised were as follows:

• With regards to drivers exiting Bondi Ave and driving straight across to the southbound lane - They pointed out that it was illegal ( so are all of the problems raised ! ) - They said it " appears to be one or two residents " from the street who are doing it. How did they arrive at that INCORRECT conclusion in a short visit? They said that police had been contacted " to conduct enforcement as necessary. " What planet are these people on? It is hard enough getting police to attend ANY problem, let alone to sit waiting for their so-called " one or two residents " to break the law so that they can be booked!!! They said Main Roads are working on a slight modification which will make it difficult to make the illegal turn.
• With regard to vehicles exiting Venice St and crossing to do a u-turn, they said that " signs prohibiting this manoeuvre are in place. " Again they have called on police to monitor the situation!!!
• Regarding parked drivers leaving from the shops and cutting across to the u-turn lane, their comment was that it is " poor driver behaviour " and again called on police to enforce compliance with the law.
• Regarding trucks having difficulty doing a u-turn, they advised that whilst there they actually witnessed a furniture truck attempt UNSUCCESSFULLY to make the turn. Their solution is to have Main Roads erect signs prohibiting trucks from doing a u-turn. That is so unworkable and impractical. What will happen is that trucks will instead now turn down side roads where they will do their u-turns ( I have already witnessed that as pointed out above ), then rejoin the highway to cross to the opposite side.
• A couple of other points raised regarding pedestrians were dismissed as being able to be solved by adjusting timing of the lights!
• We all know that if everybody obeyed the law, none of the problems occuring at this site would happen. However, Main Roads have created a number of problems at the one point, with methods by which drivers can illegally circumvent the problem. If the motoring body itself cannot understand this situation, then it is no wonder that a government department is struggling!

29th October 2008 - Contacted Fiona Simpson MP, Shadow Minister for Main Roads advising her of the RACQ's responses, and requesting she take the matter up with the Minister for Main Roads.

19th March 2009 - Received a letter from Fiona Simpson MP. Attached was the reply she had received from Main Roads dated 16th March 2009. In reads in part " The Department of Main Roads has been very concerned about the continuing pattern of illegal and dangerous driver behaviour at the new intersection on the Gold Coast Highway in the vicinity of Venice Street and Bondi Avenue. Many motorists are wilfully disregarding the new signs and traffic signals and as this is an enforcement issue, my department has raised this with the Queensland Police Service.
Officers from my department have also met with a number of local residents who have raised similar concerns, to discuss options to minimize safety risks at this location.
Modifications are currently being designed to further discourage dangerous driving at this intersection. These modifications are currently planned to be in place by the end of June 2009."

Unfortunately the police have far more pressing problems than to sit waiting for drivers to break the law at this intersection, so that they have completely ignored any request the Department may have made to them to monitor the problem. It's called shifting the buck.

22nd April 2009 - I prepared a petition requesting the Main Roads Minister address the problem, suggesting as an alternative restoring the pedestrian crossing and u-turn lanes to their previous location north of Venice St. Over 100 people signed the petition. I sent it by REGISTERED MAIL to Fiona Simpson, the Shadow Main Roads minister as she was already familiar with the problem. Since Parliament was sitting that week, I sent it to her directly at Parliament House, where Australia Post records show that it was signed for on this date. I subsequently sent emails to her office on 28/04/09, 30/04/09 and 01/05/09 ( all acknowledged by her staff ) asking if the petition had been lodged, and if not, when it might be.

8th May 2009 - Having received no response to any of my emails to the Shadow Minister querying the fate of the petition, I sent an email ( receipt acknowledged ) to the LNP leader's ( Jean-Paul Langbroek ) office asking if he could answer my questions relating to the fate of the petition. I received NO other response from him. One has to wonder just how serious some of these politicians are if they treat the public arrogantly when they are in opposition!

19th May2009 - Having had NO feedback from either the Shadow Main Roads Minister or the LNP party leader regarding the fate of the petition, I emailed the party president Bruce McIver to see if he could get either member to respond to me. He emailed me on 22nd May advising that Ms Simpson would be in contact.

25th May 2009 - I received an email from Ms Simpson advising that the petition would be tabled in the following sitting.

2nd June 2009 - The petition was tabled on 2nd June 2009 and referred to the Main Roads Minister on 3rd June 2009.

1st July 2009 approximately - Businesses in the vicinity of the problem site received a letter advising that Main Roads are about to reposition the southern u-turn opening.

7th July 2009 - I emailed Ms Simpson to advise her of the proposed action by Main Roads, and asking could she find out the proposed changes. However shortly after the changes were painted on the highway showing that they are moving the u-turns a few metres south so that vehicles cannot drive straight across from Bondi Ave. Of course this only addresses one of the problems, but it also disadvantages several local shops as customers cannot now park in front of them if they use the u-turn lane.

13th July 2009 - Email received from the Shadow Main Roads Minister Ms Simpson basically wiping her hands of any further involvement in the case and advising I should contact my local LNP member. One has to wonder why shadow ministers are appointed?