Projects

Wy Yung Road (Bullumwaal Road) and Howitt Avenue intersection upgrade, Bairnsdale

We’ve completed works on the intersection of Wy Yung Road (Bullumwaal Road) and Howitt Avenue, between Wy Yung and Eastwood. The upgrade has improved safety, traffic flow and accessibility for all road users.

Project status:

Complete

Read the transcript

Update – March 2025

The traffic signals at the intersection of Wy Yung Road (Bullumwaal Road) and Howitt Avenue are now operational.

Construction works started in November 2024 and took four months to complete. Night works took place during January and February to fast-track completion and minimise traffic disruption.

The upgrade will have long term benefits for safety and traffic flow in Bairnsdale and help reduce the likelihood of serious crashes.

The upgrade works included:

new traffic signals at the intersection
raised safety platforms on Wy Yung Road
raised pedestrian crossings on Howitt Avenue left turn slip lanes
a widened shared user path along Wy Yung Road
improved access into the adjacent Recreation Reserve
concrete medians, and improved kerbing and drainage
installation of safety barriers, and
upgraded street lighting.

Thank you for your patience as we delivered this important safety project.

Benefits

Traffic signals help maintain an equitable flow of traffic, facilitate safer turning, and enhance safety for all road users, including pedestrians. Given this intersection's proximity to schools and its role in connecting Wy Yung to Bairnsdale’s CBD, pedestrian safety was a priority.

The traffic signals at the intersection:

Provide safer turning movements into Wy Yung Road and Howitt Avenue and improve traffic flow at the intersection.
Provide safe crossing points to improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and vulnerable road users.
Improve access to the Mitchell River Flats walking track, recreation reserves, schools, aged care centre and the Bairnsdale CBD.
Improve visibility with upgraded street lighting.

Background

The Australian and Victorian governments invested $6.52 million through the Road Safety Program towards the Wy Yung Road (Bullumwaal Road) and Howitt Avenue intersection upgrade project.

Since 2017, we worked with the Bairnsdale and Wy Yung communities to understand road network issues.

The population of Bairnsdale is predicted to grow by 27 per cent by 2036 with significant growth areas in the Eastwood suburb.

This will mean increasing number of vehicles on the city’s road network.

The Wy Yung Road and Howitt Avenue intersection was identified by the community as a high priority intersection. Wy Yung Road is one of only two roads in Bairnsdale that cross the Mitchell River.

Traffic signals were identified as the preferred option based on community feedback, improved safety and traffic flow benefits.