• The proposed design to fix the mess.

A CONCRETE design is finally out to fix the Green Street/Main Street/Scarborough Beach Road intersection.

The McGowan government has set aside $3 million to fix the spaghetti mess, which contributed to about 30 crashes a year between 2014-2018.

Locals packed a brainstorming workshop in November last year, with a roundabout at Green and Main widely supported. It’s a tight fit, but closing off the one-way access into Birrell Street makes that solution feasible.

State Perth MP John Carey hosted the workshop and has been nudging the project along: “It’s a very difficult intersection to design for,” he says.

Complicating factors include the angle of the roads, the slope of the hill, and existing underground works which make an underpass impossible.

The design’s main aims are:

• Removing the dangerous two-stage road crossing when heading west from Green onto SBR;

• Providing a safe right-turn option from SBR into Green (hopefully cutting out the Merredith Street rat-run); 

• Allowing right turns from eastbound SBR to Brady, reducing rat runners on Eucla Street; and, Improvements to walker and cyclist safety with a new shared path south of SBR, raised pedestrian crossing on SBR, and a lit pedestrian crossing at the main intersection.

“This has been a really exhaustive process,” Mr Carey says, noting there’s been many different opinions on how to fix it. “I am not a traffic engineer or a road design expert, so I rely on the advice from Main Roads and those traffic engineering consultants who have come forward with this proposal.”

Stirling and Vincent councils will consult with residents, and if it’s supported Main Roads will do a final detailed design before starting construction.

An interim measure with some altered road markings is in place in the meantime, so pay attention when driving through.

Step on it

JOHN CAREY  is hoping to capitalise on the extra walkers out getting exercise during Covid-19 to get some of his  pedestrian black spots fixed.

The state Perth MP’s previous surveys led to the Beatty Park crossing and the pending Charles Street crossing near Kyilla Primary, due to start flashing in August.

Mr Carey says pedestrian problems are an oft-raised point when people contact his office and the time’s right for another survey.

“Because of the pandemic, one thing that has been observed is a lot more people are walking, and as a result we think it’s a well timed opportunity to ask people… if there’s other hot spots that need fixing.”

The survey’s at www. surveymonkey.com/r/TNSCDSW or head to our online story at perthvoiceinteractive.com where it’ll be an easily-clicked link.

Stories by DAVID BELL