Pedestrian safety project to start at Marian College

Work is set to start on improvements aimed at slowing traffic and improving pedestrian safety outside Marian College and St Andrews Kindergarten in Ararat.

Ararat Rural City Council CEO Dr Tim Harrison said the work, between King and Princes streets, has been fully funded by a $100,000 Regional Roads Victoria grant.

Dr Harrison said the project would include kerb extensions at King and Princes streets with centre islands installed to reduce the traffic lane width so that pedestrians – including school and kindergarten students – can cross the road safely.

“The aim is to slow traffic in this very busy section of Barkly Street and ensure students have a much safer way to cross the road,” he said.

“The work will complement the recent installation of electronic flashing 40km/hr school zone signs in the same area, which were also funded by Regional Roads Victoria. The signs replace static signs and aim to raise awareness of the school zone speed limit with drivers.

“Road safety around schools is a high priority for Council and this work will go a long way to improve this for Marian College and St Andrews Kindergarten students, staff and parents.”

The pedestrian safety work will begin in the coming weeks and will be completed by July, with the tender for the work awarded to local contractor SHS Civil.

“This project was identified in the Local Area Traffic Management study around schools prepared by Council,” Dr Harrison said.

“We have been working with Regional Roads Victoria to fund the works and we were thrilled to hear late last year that the project had been funded. The project will greatly improve pedestrian safety in the area, which Council will be pleased to see.”