By Danielle Kutchel
Upgrades to Berwick’s O’Shea Road will soon see it rival the Monash Freeway in width – but residents who border the arterial are worried that access to their estate has not been given proper consideration by planning authorities.
Residents in the Affinity Estate, which is bounded by O’Shea Road, Cresthaven Boulevard and Skyline Way, have only one entry and exit point into their estate, located on Cresthaven.
Since works began on O’Shea Road, residents say the volume of traffic along Cresthaven has increased exponentially, creating problems and delays for drivers leaving the estate.
Now, when drivers try to leave the estate, they face a stream of oncoming traffic, especially around school times.
And the design of the exit road means drivers struggle to see oncoming cars over a rise in the hill, and past vehicles and buses parked on the side of Cresthaven.
Residents who have spoken with Star News are calling on the council to amend the road design or provide an additional entry and exit point from the estate to assist them to get in and out of their homes – especially as they expect traffic volume to increase again once the O’Shea Road extension opens up access to other housing estates in Berwick, Beaconsfield, Officer and Clyde.
It’s the latest in a long list of issues that residents of Affinity have faced during the expansion of O’Shea Road.
Their initial concerns were for the expanded width of the road – originally earmarked to become four lanes wide but quietly changed to six lanes – which would bring cars up to their back fences.
A lack of sound barriers to block the noise of the six lanes of traffic also caused a stir – but resident Mick Suttie said that had now been resolved, with the State Government’s project arm, Major Road Projects Victoria, committing to planting a number of trees along the verge to help block noise and light from reaching Affinity Estate.
He said residents were grateful for the concession, which would improve living conditions in the estate once the road was built.
But entry and exit to and from the estate was now a significant concern, he said.
“We’re often prisoners due to the traffic,” he said.
They’re calling on Casey Council to make simple changes to the layout of Cresthaven to make it safer and easier for residents of the estate, like creating a longer no-standing zone around the exit intersection, or investigating the creation of another exit out on to Skyline.
The City of Casey’s head of assets and capital projects, Jack Fang, said the council was aware of residents’ concerns and would continue to work with them.
“We are investigating a number of options to improve access to and from the estate, with consideration given to pedestrian and vehicle safety, the impact of any changes on abutting residences, and availability of funding for any necessary works,” he explained.
‘No stopping’ signs were installed earlier this year along Cresthaven Boulevard on a trial basis to try and improve visibility for residents exiting the estate, and Mr Fang said the council would evaluate the success of the trial in early 2022 through engagement with residents and businesses nearby.
This feedback would help the council determine whether the signs should be made permanent, or whether it would need to take other actions to alleviate the traffic issues.
Traffic volume counts will also be conducted in the New Year to get a sense of likely future volumes of traffic on Cresthaven and Skyline and any traffic management that might be needed, once the O’Shea Road upgrade is complete, he said.
