GRANT District Council has been overlooked for national black spot funding to upgrade a potentially dangerous intersection at Yahl.
It is understood the application to upgrade the junction of Yahl and Ruwoldt roads was rated below other projects.
The project – which moots the creation of a staggered T-junction – will now be considered by the State Government funding this financial year.
Speaking at a recent council meeting, works manager Adrian Schutz said the funding application first went to the Federal Government for consideration.
He said it had now been “rolled over” to the state black spot funding program application pool.
“That is where the application is at the minute,” Mr Schutz said.
“It is disappointing, we went to the road conference last year and (the Federal Government) got up there and spoke about regional councils not putting in for black spot funding applications.
“But when you do put them in there, you do not seem to get them.”
Mr Schutz said applications included the number of fatalities at the locality.
“You are either reactive or proactive. If you are reactive you are going to have had fatalities to even qualify, but if you are proactive you get a road safety audit to actually indicate what needs to be done to the junction to prevent accidents from happening,” he said.
The works manager said a number of accidents had been recorded at the junction of Yahl and Ruwoldt roads.
“I am not sure how (the government) chooses them because we have had black spot funding for half a dozen that are similar to this junction,” the council employee revealed.
He said Kennedy Avenue as well as the Yahl and Square Mile roads intersection and the junction at Caroline near the saleyards were similar.
“They are exactly the same situation, but basically the same application is not successful.”
Mr Schutz questioned whether council had ever been awarded federal black spot funding, which paid 100pc of the works.
He said council would need to earmark one-third of the cost of the upgrade if it was successful under the state funding program.
Meanwhile, Mayor Richard Sage flagged bringing up the issue of black funding with Barker MP Tony Pasin.
“Direct money to local government needs to be at the forefront,” Mr Sage said.
He suggested a campaign was needed to highlight the state of the region’s roads to gain more funding, such as use of videos.
Mr Sage particularly highlighted Glenelg River Road as a busy arterial route that needed funding.
“It is probably an accident waiting to happen,” the civic leader said.
He claimed “B-doubles were roaring up behind cars” that wanted to turn into places such as The Barn.
Adding to the discussion, Mr Schutz said Eight Mile Creek was a particularly poor road.
“This is one of the worst,” he added.
