ONE of the most dangerous spots on Lake Road will be fixed, after different levels of government committed nearly $1,000,000 to an infrastructure project.
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A roundabout will be built at the intersection of Lake and Blackbutt roads, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council said yesterday.
Council has committed $400,000 to match the state government's commitment of the same amount on Wednesday.
Minister for Roads and Freight Duncan Gay said the area will receive $650,000 in Blackspot funding, with the remainder to be spent improving the surface of the Oxley Highway near the Rawdon Island intersection.
"The local community including businesses in the industrial area have made it very clear to me that something needs to be done to improve safety and traffic flow," Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams said.
Nearby businesses which regularly witness incidents on Lake Road have expressed cautious optimism about the project.
"I don't know if it's the answer, but something needs to be done," Burson Auto Parts manager Tony Raymond said.
Mr Raymond said his staff regularly hear screeching tyres, which are frequently followed by smashing vehicles.
"It's usually because people have been sitting at Blackbutt, waiting to turn right and they get impatient," he said.
"The sheer amount of accidents in the last 12 months, it just takes your breath away."
Coastal Music's Alan Kearns said the roundabout will make a huge difference.
"At the moment it's almost a festival of different types of tyre noises out there," he said.
"We had three accidents in two weeks, and they were all people trying to turn (off Blackbutt Rd) as other people were changing lanes."
"At this point, anything will really help."
Mr Raymond said the roundabout may contribute to congestion in the area, particularly as school begins and ends.
"It'll help slow the traffic down, but I'm still not sure that's the answer."
Council's Group Manager Transport and Stormwater Network Duncan Clark said the other funding will not be matched by local government.
"The $250,000 funding for road surface improvements of the Oxley Highway near the Rawdon Island road intersection will be allocated to RMS, as the Oxley Highway is strictly its responsibility," he said
