Ovens Valley MP Tim McCurdy with resident James Brogan at the intersection which serves Bunnings, Aldi and the new Coles store.
Coles has confirmed its new Yarrawonga store will officially open on Wednesday, May 27, but as the supermarket prepares to open, concerns are rising about safety at the intersection of Murray Valley Highway and Frank Drive.
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The intersection already services Bunnings and Aldi and near misses are reported almost every day and crashes on a weekly basis.
Ovens Valley MP, Tim McCurdy said since Bunnings and Aldi had opened, traffic had significantly increased.
“I’m being told by locals that this intersection is becoming a real hazard, with drivers taking risks just to get in and out safely,” Mr McCurdy said.
Long-time Yarrawonga resident James Brogan was among those to raise his concerns.
“This has become a very dangerous intersection, and something needs to be done before someone is seriously injured,” Mr Brogan said.
“Yarrawonga has grown rapidly over the past five years, and our roads and traffic management need to keep pace with that population growth.”
Mr McCurdy said the situation was set to worsen with the opening of the new Coles store, which is expected to further increase traffic movements along the busy stretch of road.
“We welcome the arrival of Coles … however, we must ensure the Victorian Government understands the safety issues and delivers the infrastructure needed to support the rapidly growing Yarrawonga and Mulwala communities.”
Coles has confirmed its new Yarrawonga supermarket will open on May 27.
Mr McCurdy has written to the Minister for Roads, Melissa Horne, inviting her to visit the area.
“I have asked the Minister to come to Yarrawonga to see firsthand the bottlenecks, traffic flow and congestion at this intersection, as well as other Murray Valley Highway intersections nearby,” he said.
“Yarrawonga deserves safe and reliable access for everyday needs, whether it’s groceries or hardware.”
“Let’s not wait for a major collision before action is taken. I urge the Minister to visit Yarrawonga as soon as possible.”
Mr McCurdy has called on the Victorian Government to urgently assess the intersection and implement appropriate safety measures, including potential traffic controls or upgrades.
“Our community deserves safe roads. We cannot wait for a tragedy before action is taken,” he said.
