Princes Highway pedestrian safety upgrade, Warrnambool

Two new pedestrian-operated signal crossings on the Princes Highway, near the intersection of Hider Street and Ardlie Street, will reduce the likelihood and severity of crashes and provide a safe and accessible crossing point for pedestrians, including school children, and cyclists.

The new crossings will be installed at the location of the existing school crossing across the Princes Highway. Improved line marking, signage and public lighting will be installed during this project.

Impacts of construction

Works are expected to begin in early November and construction of the signal infrastructure will take up to eight weeks to complete, weather permitting.

Crews will start construction on the northern side of the highway, before moving to the southern side to complete the infrastructure works.

Following the completion of the civil works, there will be a short period until a power audit and connection to activate the new signals is completed by the external provider. This may take up to three months.

Crews will be on site from Monday to Friday, between 7am and 6pm, with the possibility of weekend and night works.

Traffic management, including single lane closures, delays of up to five minutes and a reduced speed limit, will be in place during construction to protect the safety of crews and road users.

To improve visibility for road users approaching the crossings, tree trimming will occur before project works begin. Footpaths on the Hider Street side of the Princes Highway may be temporarily unavailable for short periods during early works.

Upgraded public lighting will be activated in early 2027 with temporary lighting in place until activation.

Please note: dates and timeframes of these works are dependent on a range of factors, including weather and site conditions.

Benefits

The installation of pedestrian-operated signals will reduce the likelihood and severity of crashes, address identified near-miss and fatal-risk conditions, and provide safe and accessible crossing facilities for school children, residents and cyclists.

The project will improve pedestrian and active transport connections to amenities, transport links, Emmanuel College secondary school, Warrnambool Primary School, and St John of God Hospital.

Background

The Princes Highway (Raglan Parade) is a high-volume arterial freight route, and the Hider Street/Ardlie Street intersection currently operates as a school crossing without signals. The current conditions present a significant safety risk, particularly given the surrounding schools and residential areas.The crossing is heavily used by pedestrians of all ages, including school children and vulnerable road users such as mobility scooter users.

Transport Victoria is delivering this project as part of the Australian Government’s Regional Pedestrian Safety Package under the Road Safety Program.

Get in touch

Call:   133 778

Email: [email protected]