By Corey Everitt
The major-works-swamped Brunt and Rix Roads in Officer will have an independent safety assessment, after Cr Tammy Radford raised concerns from her constituents about a recently installed median strip and whether its necessary along the busy stretch of road.
In the council meeting on Monday 11 December, Cr Radford moved the motion for the independent assessment to ‘commence immediately’, that would ‘understand how a safe and low-risk roadside environment can be provided for motorists’ along the corridor of Brunt Road and Rix Road connecting Princes Highway with Officer South Road.
Cr Radford explained the motion is in response to a number of concerns raised before her from those living in Blue Gum Lifestyle Village on the northern side of Brunt Road.
The concerns pertain particularly to the issue of exiting and entering facilities and residences along the road.
This has resulted from the several, ongoing works changing Brunt and Rix Roads, such as an ongoing level crossing removal project (LXRP) to the Princes Highway intersection upgrades.
For Blue Gum residents the concern has been a median strip installed outside of the estate.
“The residents until now have had right and left turns available leaving the park, this right turn has now been taken away,” Cr Radford explained.
“This right turn is important and gives residents access to amenities such as their closest supermarket located on Rix Road.”
Cr Radford explained how these changes to Brunt Road are prescribed in the Officer Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), but questioned whether this particular change should be reassessed, particularly as new factors have arisen since the PSP was made.
“I am questioning the need for the prescribed median strip for a few reasons,” Cr Radford said.
“It clearly states, as I read out, it improves safety at the rail line for all road users and provides uninterrupted vehicle movement across the rail line, given how dangerous this rail line was, I completely understand.
“However, since the Officer PSP was done, the rail line identified as dangerous is now going to be an LXRP bridge, so the rail line has been removed.”
Cr Radford explained that this issue is not just isolated to Blue Gum, the very same problem of a median strip could affect another retirement village and Maranatha Christian School, both on Rix Road.
She also noted the situation could have been handled better if residents were consulted on the matter, such as those in Blue Gum. It could have resulted in a ‘better outcome’ prior to construction, she said.
Cr Radford suggested a right slip lane could have been installed in the median strip. The purpose of the proposed assessment is to resolve the situation with such a solution or its equivalent for Blue Gum residents and have the similar matters on Rix Road handled for the future.
The motion was seconded by Cr Jeff Springfield and was received positively by councillors in discussion.
The motion was carried unanimously.
