Death trap
THE State and Federal governments have been urged to fix notorious Crightons Hill near Leongatha in the wake of the second death there this year.
Four people have died at Crightons Hill in the past four years and some 20 accidents have resulted in serious injuries.
Last Monday, September 1, a 17 year old girl from Mirboo North was killed in a horrific car crash on the hill on the Strzelecki Highway.
The Leongatha Chamber of Commerce and Industry and The Star newspaper have launched a petition calling for the State Government to reduce the speed limit around the Crighton Hill bends to 80km/h and/or install flashing warning signs, in the short term. The petition also calls for long term works to avoid the bends.
The girl was the passenger of a Holden sedan driven by her 20 year old sister. The teenager died on the scene and the driver was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in critical condition.
Crightons Hills is located between Mardan Road and Leongatha-Yarragon Road.
Leongatha North residents were among the first to sign the petition, launched on Friday.
Bill and Nola Sweeney have lived at Leongatha North for 21 years and have seen many accidents, near misses and blocked off roads during their time.
“It’s like Russian Roulette,” Mr Sweeney said.
“The bottom bend is the worst. You can’t point the finger on who is most likely to have an accident on the road. It’s bad for everyone.”
The Sweeneys drove past the scene of last Monday’s accident 20 minutes before it occurred. Mr Sweeney said road conditions were greasy and wet at the time.
“It would’ve been easy to slide off the road in those conditions but distraction can be a problem too,” he said.
Leongatha North resident Chris Howard said some drivers do not keep to the lines and cut corners.
“The locals all know to keep as far left as possible,” he said.
However, Mr Sweeney said whether drivers are too quick on the roads or not, VicRoads has failed to address table drains there.
“The water runs one direction and then runs in another further on,” he said.
“It’s crazy. VicRoads has a lot to answer for. You can’t just put a bandaid on it. One life lost on this road is one life too many.”
Leongatha North residents said Crightons Hill was a busy road and believe VicRoads can straighten the corners, reduce the speed limit and put up a lighting system.
“VicRoads will say they don’t have enough money, but how much does a life cost?’ Mr Sweeney said.
“Enough is enough. It’s terribly sad.”
Mr Sweeney has spoken to Deputy Premier Peter Ryan, McMillan MP Russell Broadbent and Police Commissioner Ken Lay to get his message across.
“It’s got to be addressed by our local government too,” he said.
“How many more have to die before enough is enough? It could be you next. It’s terribly sad for us to drive past.”
Mr Howard said the biggest concern for residents was that they or their family could be involved in the next accident.
“There’s not enough maintenance on the road too. Just spraying weeds because they’re a fire risk isn’t good enough,” he said.
Mrs Sweeney would like to see digital signs similar to those at Black Spur near Koonwarra erected at Crightons Hill to attract drivers’ attention.
The Sweeneys are going before the VicRoads’ Black Spot Consultative Panel to name Crightons Hill a black spot.
Melbourne’s Major Collisions Unit is still investigating the cause of the accident on September 1, but police believe the Holden slid to the wrong side of the road, hitting an oncoming ambulance.
The ambulance was not operational. A mechanic in his fifties was driving it back to Leongatha. The mechanic was injured but able to assist police with their investigation.
The Bass Coast Highway Patrol Unit said four people have died on Crightons Hill in the past four years – two of which have died this year.
Over the whole Strzelecki Highway, seven people have died over the past four years.
Taking action: from left, Leongatha North’s Nola and Bill Sweeney, Janice Sing, Chris Howard, Colin Littlejohn and John Fiddelaers gathered at the top of Crighton’s Hill on Friday and signed the new petition to fix the dangerous road.
Short URL: /?p=12117
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