By Aneeka Simonis
A FAMILY still grieving over the loss of 27-year-old Ryan Downs on Healesville-Kooweerup Road earlier this year did not lose him in vain.
A petition launched to fix the “dangerous” road has attracted more than 500 signatures and has now attracted the attention of VicRoads which will host a road safety consultation with the community to help identify short-term and long-term ways to improve its safety.
The two-hour forum will be held at Kooweerup Community Centre from 6.30pm on Thursday 1 September, almost four months on from when the Downs family’s life changed forever.
They lost their son and brother on Friday 13 May. But they aren’t the only ones living in grief. Months earlier, 22-year-old Neisha McLean, from Mount Evelyn, also lost her life on the same stretch of road.
In a family statement, the Downs family, who have had private meetings with the road authority, were overjoyed to know their efforts were working to enable all motorists “a fair chance of getting home safely”.
VicRoads acknowledged the “significant crash history” of the 90km/h stretch of road.
Acting VicRoads regional director Savoula Lidis said: “It’s important for us to hear the views of the community about the current safety issues associated with Kooweerup Road and discuss the types of safety improvements that could be implemented in the short and longer term”.
The tragic losses of life snapped Kooweerup resident Gary King into action.
He pitched a range of short-term changes, mostly focussed around a three kilometre bend on the road which at this stage allows overtaking.
His plan included:
* Install a ‘No overtaking for the next 3 kms’ sign either side of the bend.
* Install double lines prohibiting motorists from overtaking on the bend.
* Remove the scrub obstructing motorists’ vision on the left-hand side of the bend between the Ellett and Soldiers roads intersections.
* Reduce speed along the bend to 80km/h.
Mr King has also since been in private talks with VicRoads over the future safety of the road.
VicRoads have set out a goal to lower the number of deaths on Victorian roads to 200 or less by 2020, and reduce serious injuries by at least 15 per cent.
Some 188 lives were lost on state roads in the year to Wednesday 17 August, 25 more than the same time last year.
Ryan was the eldest brother to three sisters and went to school at Warragul Regional College.
On the day of his fatal crash, he was travelling home to help his mum. She remembered him as her “baby boy”.
To register to attend the community consultation in Kooweerup, email MSE_Traffic.CRT3@roads.vic.gov.au or call 9881 8805.
