CHEVALLUM ROAD UPGRADE STARTS
Victim scores black spot win

A PALMWOODS woman involved in a near-fatal car accident at the entrance to the railway station on Chevallum Road last November, has led a push for the intersection to be upgraded.

Leigh Murphy, who still has flashbacks and panic attacks at the intersection as she travels along Chevallum Road to work daily, has lobbied police, local council and state government representatives for improvements to be carried out as a matter of priority.

She was involved in an accident while travelling home to Palmwoods around 5pm on November 30, last year. A motorist, unfamiliar with the area and Chevallum Road sweeping around to the left, drove in front of her heading towards the station.

Snr Constable Paul Campbell of Palmwoods Police said the driver of the second car was lucky to be alive. Both cars were written off in the accident.

"He was just very lucky that the impact was where it was," he said. "Had Ms Murphy’s car collided directly with his passenger door he almost certainly would have been killed."

Snr Constable Campbell said there were six accidents at the intersection last year, most of them serious.

He said about half were caused by drivers heading towards Chevallum who were unfamiliar with the main road and assumed it went straight ahead. They then were at risk of driving directly in front of cars coming towards Palmwoods.

The other half were caused by motorists swinging quickly right to take the road to the railway station.

Ms Murphy said it had been a frightening experience to be heading home without suspecting any problems, only to see a car drive directly in front of her.

"I have spoken to another woman from Eudlo who was also involved in an accident at this intersection and she had exactly the same experience," she said. "The sealed entry to the station has made it quite misleading. There is no delineation."

She has now been assured by Minister for Main Roads Vaughan Johnson, through Mr Turner, that work is underway for improvements to be carried out at the intersection.

Cr Geoff Littler said the upgrading was a joint project between Main Roads and the council which would be responsible for funding lighting of the intersection.

He said the project had been delayed by Energex (SEQEB) which had to install the lighting before any roadworks could proceed. Street lighting must be provided wherever there is a raised island.

The upgrading project will also include construction of a traffic island, line marking, kerb and channelling to direct traffic and minor pavement works.

A holding lane for traffic turning right into the station has not been included.

Cr Littler said that council would proceed with construction as soon as the lighting had been installed.

"The control island will be built to stop people doing a quick cut-the-corner style turn into the station," he said.

He said with poles now being put in place by Energex, the job should be completed by the end of February.

Leigh Murphy receives notice that work is to start
soon on improving the safety of the accident scene.