There were nine accidents on the controversial Barton Highway roundabout in January and February, a significant improvement on recent years, an ACT parliamentary committee was told on Thursday.
Over the past five years, there had been an average of 14 accidents in the same two months each year, the director of capital works for transport, Ben McHugh, said. The figures equate to a 35 per cent reduction.
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Road-testing the Barton Highway roundabout with traffic lights
Gungahlin resident and Canberra Times producer Kyle Mackey-Laws tries out the roundabout with nine sets of traffic lights, to see if it's helped traffic flow in the morning rush.
Traffic lights were installed in December at the large roundabout at the intersection of the Barton Highway, William Slim Drive and Gundaroo Drive.Â
Mr McHugh, speaking at an ACT parliamentary inquiry, said just two of the nine accidents had been on the roundabout itself, with the rest in traffic queueing as it approach the roundabout. None had resulted in injuries.
The figures for January and February in previous years are:
- 2013 – 13 crashes
- 2014 – 18 crashes (one injury)
- 2015 - Â 11 crashes
- 2016 – 14 crashes
The government expects a further reduction as drivers get used to the new intersection.
Mr McHugh said traffic had increased about 25 per cent over the five years, from an average of about 34,000 vehicles a day in 2012, to 42,000 in February 2017.
The Liberals promised a flyover during the October election last year, estimating its cost at $35 million, but the figure was never verified by ACT Treasury.
Mr McHugh said in early work on the project five years ago, "a flyover was the preferred outcome from the community's perspective" and the government had considered four or five versions of a flyover.
Each had different land requirements. The proximity to Ginninderra Creek was a challenge for design, as was the nature reserve on northwestern corner of the site, and the hill at the Giralang corner, which meant "constraints to free-flowing ramp solutions".
"So when all of these things are put together there's a high level of infrastructure required to achieve the flyover benefits, and costs associated with that," he said.
Transport Minister Megan Fitzharris said while detailed costs of a flyover had never been worked out, it would have cost three to time five times the traffic lights, which cost $10 million.
A flyover would also have required "a lot of traffic lights", Ms Fitzharris said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said the Liberals estimated their flyover would cost $35,000.