WEDNESDAY, 22 APRIL, 2026
Road frustration By Jaidyn Kennedy Truganina and Mount Atkinson residents are calling for the duplication of Hopkins Road between Dohertys and Sheahan roads, labelling it a ‘”dangerous bottleneck” that is not fit for purpose. Girish Khara said the road is making commuting between the two areas difficult. “The road is no longer serving its purpose as a connector; it is a bottleneck that is strangling the growth of two of Australia’s fastest-growing council areas of Melton and Wyndham,” Mr Khara said. “It is simply not fit for purpose. With only one lane in each direction, we see car-behind-car traffic stretching for the entirety of its 10 kilometres length. “Th is creates a volatile environment where impatient drivers are tempted into risky overtakes.” He said increases in traffic in recent years have resulted in Hopkins Road being shut to traffic with a single accident. “In the last decade, traffic volume has tripled, leaving the road crawling at peak hours,” Mr Khara said. “But the worst aspect is the lack of concrete upgrades: one single breakdown brings the entire road corridor to a standstill. “With no local detour options, commuters are routinely adding at least 20 minutes to their travel time. Th is isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a disaster for working families.” Mr Khara said the single carriageway is the tip of the iceberg. “It lacks essential infrastructure: there is no street lighting, no adequate easements and inadequate safety signage,” he said. “We have witnessed accidents directly linked to poor visibility, the lack of safe space for vehicles to pull over or even confusion about speed limit. “We urgently need robust street lighting, clear signage enforcing speed limits, and designated breakdown zones to break the cycle of near-misses.” Fellow resident Santosh Mohan said he feels “unsafe, and frankly, frustrated” about the situation. “For my family, this is the only route to local schools and shops – we are effectively trapped,” he said. “We think twice before travelling to meet extended family or even to our cultural
Girish Khara, Saleem Cheema, Preet Bajwa and Santosh Mohan. (Damjan Janevski) 547509_02
centres. “Add in the exponential rise in heavy vehicles servicing the many industrial parks mushrooming around this corridor and the road has become a congestion hub. “I have personally witnessed vehicles traveling at 80km/h in a 60km/h zone, performing reckless overtakes that result in constant near-misses. “It is harrowing to experience this while driving with your family. “Often, oncoming motorists are forced to take sudden, evasive action – sometimes
swerving off the road entirely – just to avoid a collision. “Imagine when one of the many school buses which ply on this road have to make such an evasive action. “The current single-lane configuration doesn’t just frustrate drivers; it actively penalises safe road-users by trapping them in a dangerous environment created by others’ impatience.” A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said the department will monitor Hopkins Road. “We’ll continue to monitor Hopkins
Road between Dohertys Road and Sheahan Road, and consider any necessary upgrades as part of future planning for Victoria’s road network.” The spokesperson said works are underway to remove the level crossing at Hopkins Road, and preconstruction activities are continuing for the upgrade of the Derrimut, Hopkins and Boundary roads intersection in Tarneit and Truganina. Star Weekly understands removing the Hopkins Road level crossing will ease daily vehicle congestion by more than 25,000.
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