The $1.7 million traffic signals project for Rooneys Road and Lindsay Street is expected to be finished by September to improve safety and traffic flow.

Meanwhile, the 70 kilometre per hour speed zone which covers most of the parade is still under review.

VicRoads told The Standard yesterday preliminary works, including installation of safety fencing, would start this week followed by survey and construction.

“The entire project will take around six months to complete,” regional director William Tieppo said. 

Mayor Michael Neoh said the lights were vital to improving safety in the expanding suburb.

“Lindsay Street is very dangerous, not only for supermarket traffic but school children crossing the highway,” Cr Neoh said.

“The Rooneys Road intersection is like a dog’s breakfast trying to cross, with pedestrians and drivers confused on where to go.

“A lot of trucks get stranded half way.”

Cr Neoh said the council would pay $200,000 towards the Rooneys Road intersection work and the supermarket developer $60,000 for Lindsay Street.

When signals are operating the existing 40km/h school crossing zone flashing lights at Dennington will be decommissioned.

The official school crossing route would then be at Lindsay Street and monitoring of its use would determine if the supervisor’s position was continued, Cr Neoh said. 

Dennington Community Association first raised the issue with Warrnambool City Council and VicRoads in 2009, citing concerns about increasing truck traffic using Rooneys Road as a link to the industrial estate and also the busy Woolworths supermarket entry/exit road.

The association hoped having traffic lights at Rooneys Road would decrease the volume of trucks on residential Baynes Street and the Esplanade.

South West Coast MP and former premier Denis Napthine announced $1.5m for the projects in June 2013 and VicRoads called tenders for installation the following November.

Mr Tieppo said the Raglan Parade speed zone was still under review, but there was no specific timeframe and community consultation was a priority.

“Remaining 70km/h and 90km/h speed zones will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, taking a number of factors into account including the condition of the road, crash data, volume and type of traffic and feedback from our road safety partners and the community.”