Residents are again calling for an overpass at the Houston Mitchell Drive and Pacific Highway intersection following the death of an 82-year-old local man Ian Parker on Tuesday afternoon.
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About 3.20pm Tuesday, May 2, emergency services were called to the Pacific Highway at Lake Innes following reports two vehicles had collided.
An 84-year-old woman remains in a serious but stable condition at John Hunter Hospital, while police confirmed Tuesday afternoon that the 82-year-old man had died as a result of the crash.
Police have confirmed one vehicle was turning right from Houston Mitchell Drive onto the northbound lanes of the Pacific Highway, while the other was travelling south on the highway when the two vehicles collided.
The intersection has been the site of numerous near misses, traffic accidents and one fatality involving a motorcyclist in 2021.
Vice president of the Bonny Hills Progress Association Kathy Reagan said the accident on Tuesday reinforces the need for an overpass at the intersection.
"Studies were done that indicated an overpass would be required here by 2026, but the population growth has been much greater than what those studies anticipated, so really the overpass should be in place now," she said.
"At the moment the first step hasn't been taken to get an overpass here."
Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams has been supportive of upgrades to the intersection to improve safety.
A $2.9 million upgrade of the intersection was completed in June 2022 which included installing acceleration and deceleration lanes on the Pacific Highway for southbound motorists turning left into and left out of Houston Mitchell Drive.
Transport for NSW also widened the road shoulders, installed new safety barriers and carried out line marking.
Mrs Williams extended her condolences to the family of the 82-year-old-man and said she will continue to voice the community's concerns to the State Government.
"I extend my condolences to the family of the gentleman who died in the accident on Tuesday afternoon and my thoughts are also with the injured lady who was taken to hospital," she said.
Mrs Williams said while the notorious intersection underwent a "significant upgrade" last year, she remains steadfast in her view that an overpass "should be prioritised".
"I previously raised this issue with the former National Party Minister for Regional Roads Sam Farraway and I have a meeting confirmed in the next couple of weeks with the new Labor Minister for Regional Roads Jenny Aitchison," she said.
Residents have been rallying for several years for a flyover or overpass at the intersection, or have the speed limit reduced.
"The highway itself has two lanes of traffic and the speed limit along there is now 100km/h, but observation tells you that often vehicles are travelling at a greater speed," Ms Reagan said.
"Even though there has been work done on the slip lanes and the highway, the level of visibility there is still reduced and there's not a long line of sight.
"At any time you can observe vehicles on both sides of the intersection as well as traffic flowing on the highway."
Residents are now calling for safety upgrades at the intersection to be made a priority.
"We are looking for action now and not just words," Ms Reagan said.
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