Work is underway to improve road safety at a notorious black spot in White Gum Valley.
The City of Fremantle is installing a new roundabout at the intersection of Wiluna Avenue and Hope Street, which has been the site of five serious accidents in the past five years.
The construction of the roundabout is being funded with a grant of nearly $175,000 through the state government’s 2021-22 Black Spot program.
Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said safety at the intersection had been a concern of White Gum Valley residents for some time.
“This particular spot is treacherous because it has a divided road converging into a single carriageway, on a hill, at an intersection, and the sight lines are really bad,” Mayor Fitzhardinge said.
“Of the five accidents we’ve seen here in the past five years, one of them left a pedestrian with serious injuries while another saw a van flipped onto its roof.
“The new roundabout will not only slow the traffic and reduce the severity of any future crashes, it will also flatten out the intersection to improve the sight lines.
“New paths and handrails are also being installed to make it easier and safer for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the street.
“I congratulate East Ward councillors Jenny Archibald and Su Groome for their advocacy on this project, and thank state government for its support in eliminating this black spot and helping to make our streets safer.”
Fremantle MLA Simone McGurk said White Gum Valley was a popular suburb for families with school age children.
“I’m very pleased these roadworks will help to make the area safer for pedestrians and vehicles,” Ms McGurk said.
“It’s great to see the community and government work together to help prevent these senseless road accidents.”
Construction of the roundabout is expected to be completed later this month.
Other road safety improvements made by the City of Fremantle over the past year include the second streetscape upgrade on South Terrace in South Fremantle, new bike lanes on McCombe Avenue in Samson and school crossings on High Street and Ellen Street in Fremantle.
