CONCERNED residents are calling on the South Gippsland Shire Council to urgently address safety issues on the Bena-Kongwak Road after a near-fatal accident last week.
The collision between two vehicles, occurred on Thursday, January 9 in the early evening on the Bena-Kongwak Road near Twites Road. Ambulance Victoria confirmed that a woman in her 20s was taken to Casey Hospital in a stable condition for further assessment, and a woman in her 40s suffered upper body soreness and was taken in a stable condition to Dandenong Hospital.
The collision caused one vehicle to skid off the road and collide with a tree on a section of the road with an almost sheer drop. Local resident Tom Baricevic, who has lived in the area for nearly a decade was at the scene after the collision happened near his home, and he declared that ‘the drivers were incredibly lucky to be alive.’
Locals say, poor road maintenance by Council, a lack of proper signage, and the absence of protective barriers contributed to the severity of the incident. “This 7km stretch of poor road urgently needs black spot signage. There are steep embankments, and it is so narrow making it difficult for a car to pass,” he said.
“There is no adequate speed signage there – as a resident I don’t know what the speed limit is. If we don’t know, how are tourists supposed to know the speed. This is an area for unique touring, motorcyclists and cyclists and it’s just so dangerous.”
In response, the community have rallied together, petitioning the council for immediate improvements to the road. Their demands include the regular maintenance of road edges, installation of clear warning signs, speed limit indicators, protective barriers along dangerous curves, and road line marking.
“It’s heartbreaking that it took such a serious accident to bring attention to it. We need action before another tragedy occurs,” said Tom.
Another resident, Virginia Hunt, who drives the road daily, said, “In sections you simply can’t safely pull over to let another vehicle pass. It’s a rural road and many different vehicles need to share it … it’s nothing short of dangerous.”
Long-term local, Ian Haw, added his concerns, stating, “It’s quite honestly, a terrible road in a terrible state.”
Viriginia and Tom have both contacted the council to address the issue and have yet to receive a response. The South Gippsland Shire Council have been contacted for comment.
