By Tate Papworth
A spectacular crash which left a large truck dangling precariously over the edge of the Calder Freeway above Green Gully Road last month has highlighted the need for urgent safety improvements to the freeway, according to Brimbank’s new mayor.
On November 20, a truck slammed into the side barrier of the Green Gully Road overpass at Keilor – scattering debris onto the road below and throwing peak hour traffic into chaos.
Brimbank council is seeking a briefing with Victoria Police and VicRoads on the circumstances of the crash.
However mayor Lucinda Congreve said safety upgrades on the Calder were desperately needed.
“Last month’s horrendous accident could so easily have been tragic – we were very fortunate that no lives were lost,” Cr Congreve said.
“But we cannot rely on luck to keep us safe.”
Cr Congreve said the road’s poor accident record justifies significant investment in safety upgrades.
She said there had been 35 crashes on the Calder, between the M80 and Melton Highway, in the five years to December 2016.
“Brimbank council has repeatedly called on state and federal governments to invest in the Calder Freeway in order to improve safety, reduce congestion and cater for population and freight growth.
“The Calder Freeway is a key link in the National Land Transport Network that connects Melbourne with the regional centre of Bendigo, and beyond to north-west regional Victoria.
“We need state and federal governments to invest in lifting this crucial infrastructure up to freeway standard.
“Between the Western Ring Road (M80) and the Melton Highway, there are sections of the Calder Freeway where the speed limit drops to 80km/h and where there are no emergency stopping lanes – including the Green Gully Road overpass where last week’s crash took place.”
