Media Response |

- City of Ballarat Infrastructure and Environment Director Terry Demeo

The Cherry Flat Road/Bells Road intersection is not on the Black Spot Program.   

The intersection has been investigated and it currently meets design criteria, including sight distance requirements, in its present state and there must be at least three casualty crashes over a five-year period to meet Black Spot funding criteria, so there are no immediate plans for upgrades or enhancements. 

Design and survey of the Cherry Flat Road duplication to Bells Road is currently underway. This includes a traffic count to understand the impact of the Delacombe Town Centre, along with further counts planned when Bunnings Warehouse is operating.   

This audit will inform the City of Ballarat of any required remedial works and supports any applications for funding, either through our own capital works budget or external sources. 

The intersection is also incorporated in to the Ballarat West Precinct Structure Plan which allows for the eventual widening of the southern section of Cherry Flat Road to a duplicated link road and a proposed two-lane roundabout at Cherry Flat and Bells Road. 

As a longer term plan, the intersection will be upgraded as part of the Western Link Road proposal which will see the connection of the Midland Highway in the south to the Western Highway in the north via an alignment along Bells Road.   

The intersection with Cherry Flat Road will be widened to include left- and right-hand turning lanes from Bells Road into Cherry Flat Road, making the intersection safer for the expected further increase in traffic. 

 In the meantime, City of Ballarat is committed to continue to monitor the intersection and provide maintenance upgrades to Cherry Flat Road line marking and signage as required. 

Anyone can nominate a road as a Black Spot location by following the directions on the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities website https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure_investment/black_spot/