Hannah Hammoud
This story was originally published in May 2024 and Star Weekly has chosen to share it again for readers to enjoy.
A busy overpass on the Melton Highway in Sydenham has been labelled as a “death trap” due to growing neglect and disrepair.
Resident and support worker, Michelle Wheeler, said each morning, she accompanies a sight-impaired client on a walk across the overpass on the Melton Highway, using the stairs on Sydenham Road.
Ms Wheeler said they have been walking the same route for more than two years and in that time the overpass has become increasingly dangerous in its lack of upkeep. Loose strips, posing as tripping hazards, litter the walkway, as well as a piling build up of dumped rubbish. The stairs themselves also show signs of neglect and decay.
“This is a death trap for those who rely on access via this overpass. Many elderly and disabled people use these stairs [and] we need to walk single file as the build up [of rubbish] is so bad,” she said.
Despite numerous attempts to address the issue with VicRoads, Ms Wheeler said her pleas for maintenance and repair have fallen on deaf ears. While occasional cleaning efforts have been made, she said these actions are insufficient and short-lived, with the overpass quickly reverting to its hazardous state.
“My client and I walk the same route every day. She’s always walked that way when she had vision so she’s obviously now comfortable walking that way. Several times we’ve had to go a different way because the stairs are in such bad disrepair, but there is not really another suitable way for us to go, sometimes it is actually even more dangerous,” Ms Wheeler said.
“We’ve both tripped, both slipped on things or caught our feet. I’ve caught my toes in it before and I can see what I’m doing … she can’t see and often her cane gets caught in the rubbish.
“There are 42 stairs and if she falls or trips then I have to deal with it. If I fall, then she’s stuck midway on those stairs.
“They are dangerous and filthy, we call them the stairs of death when we get there.”
Ms Wheeler said despite repeated attempts to address the issue with VicRoads, she and her client are often left waiting for action to be taken.
“I’ve contacted VicRoads and they tell us the request is on a docket but it takes forever to get done and when it does get done it’s only half done, they clean it up but there’s no repair. They just come out and give it a quick clean,” she said.
“It was one thing when it was dirty, but it is unsafe and it’s a main thoroughfare. There is an elderly home nearby and they have to use that overpass to get across. It won’t be long before someone hurts themselves if they don’t do something, but they just don’t care.”
VicRoads was contacted for comment.
