Kamikaze corner must be fixed

Last week’s Sentinel-Times photo shows the palm trees overlooking this controversial intersection.

What if the palms were transplanted elsewhere and the highway extended through the rail yard, under the Koonwarra Road bridge, aligning with the rail trail out beyond the houses to a three-way roundabout extending to Strzelecki Highway and the other turnoff reaching South Gippsland Highway prior to Simons Lane. 

This area beyond the hospital is soon to be under development, so the new highway would need to be included in any such developments. 

There is nothing wrong with the present highway from South Gippsland Shire through to Roughhead Street, all of the traders along this section have earned their highway position and nothing needs to change here. 

Install a set of traffic lights for what would be a major intersection at Roughhead Street, including the rail trail crossing, so no expensive underpass for this is necessary. 

Parking areas could be made both sides of the highway in the old rail yard and resurrect the old footbridge to access the main street. 

The simplicity of parking and a quick walk to Bair Street would appeal to locals and tourists alike. 

With Inverloch traffic diverted to this intersection McCartin Street would be freed up for improvements. 

I have been told that railway land cannot be encroached on, but at Koonwarra, the highway now sits over old rail land, so the precedent exists, all that’s needed is the political will. 

I believe this change is necessary as proved by the bottlenecks occurring on the present arrangement. 

Leongatha’s traffic issues could be solved for the next hundred years.

Ian James, Korumburra