By Sahar Foladi
Residents of Dandenong are still taking a chance on life crossing over the perilous Stud Road where a toddler was tragically struck last year.
The news of the toddler’s death on Monday 18 December sent waves of shock and sorrow over the Greater Dandenong community and beyond.
An 85-year-old resident, Elizabeth Weber, has to cross the busy six-lane, 80km/h road to catch the bus on the other side as the only way to travel into central Dandenong twice a week.
“We need the crossing to get to the bus stops otherwise more people will get killed.
“It’s just going on and on, it’s horrible.
“How do they all cross to the bus stop? They all have to take a chance not to get killed.”
She has to take the bus into Dandenong for her dentist appointments, visit the chemist, do the shopping and other needs.
She opts to walk for GP appointments but on the days she’s unable to, she has to take the public transport.
Ms Weber has lived on Stud Road for almost 60 years in one of the first houses established in the area she claims.
She says crossing the already dangerous road has worsened since the installation of guardrails in the median strip.
It’s almost impossible for pedestrians to cross the six-lane in one go as cars zoom by forcing them to wait in the middle of the road.
“Young people can jump over the rails but I can’t jump with the walker, people with prams can’t.
“I have to wait on the road (on the median strip) because I can’t cross with the walker.
“If the grass is long or wet the walker gets stuck so I have to wait on the road and get abused by the drivers.”
According to Ms Weber, she’s heard of two elderly sisters living in the neighbourhood who don’t know how to get into central Dandenong anymore due to the rails causing a barrier to catch the bus.
Her daughter, Erica Weber said she’s worried for her mother who lives by herself.
“She has a great support worker, a good network of support around her but I’m worried for her safety. It’s a crazy road.
“All she hears is ambulances and screeching tires. There have been too many fatalities there.”
Located in Gippsland, Ms Weber makes sure to call her mother daily.
“I was in regional Victoria in a tiny little town, I wouldn’t cross the road, and we had so many pedestrian crossings.
“Last time I visited my mother, I was terrified trying to cross the road,” she said.
“It’s an aging population there too so a lot of the elderly rely on the bus.”
Children and various age groups regularly bolt across the six-lane to access the basketball stadium playground and floodplains parkland besides the bus stop.
“If there were traffic lights at McFees Road, that would be a great opportunity for residents to go to the basketball stadium, on the other side,” Ms Weber said.
“They have a beautiful barbecue area, but people are too scared to cross the road.”
In her statement after the tragic loss of the toddler in December, City of Greater Dandenong mayor, Lana Formoso said a meeting with Minister for Roads, Melissa Horne would be sought however, no meetings have been scheduled so far.
“Council has worked with the Department of Transport and Planning to produce a well-advanced design for traffic signals and much-needed pedestrian crossing facilities at the intersection of Stud Road and McFees Road.
“We’ve been calling for a safer pedestrian crossing here for many years, but we don’t feel the State Government has shared our sense of urgency.
A Victorian Government spokesperson said, “Any death on our roads is a tragedy and our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted.”
“We’ll work with Victoria Police to understand the circumstances and to provide support to the investigation where required.”
As reported on 18 December by Star Journal, VicRoads has pledged to install pedestrian lights and review the speed limit back in 2018.
The State Government still hasn’t set a time-frame for the project.
The toddler’s “preventable death” comes after a pedestrian in her 50s was fatally struck in an attempt to cross to a nearby bus stop in 2018.
