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23 FEBRUARY, 2022
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Embracing the future
Mayor Anthony Tran on top of the Town Hall roof, which features a sensor that measures air quality.
268307_01 (Damjan Janevski)
Maribyrnong council wants to use new technology and data to increase the liveability and sustainability of the municipality. The Smart Cities Strategic Framework will drive initiatives to address local challenges through technology. So far, council has delivered a number of smart city projects including a free public WiFi network, air quality sensors, digital touch-screen kiosks and smart public lighting. The draft Smart City Strategic Framework is open for public feedback and mayor Anthony Tran said all thoughts on the initiative are welcome. “We aim to continue investing in smart technology to deliver better outcomes for our community, particularly where this can influence better environmental outcomes, such as our air quality sensor data helping inform our advocacy for cleaner air in the west,” he said. “We’re talking about not just thinking smarter about what technology to use but also getting smarter in the way we apply it to, to maximise the benefits of the ongoing evolution for our growing population.”
Roadworks create havoc By Molly Magennis Residents in the west are fed up with the increased traffic in the area due to the West Gate Tunnel Project, with residential side streets now banked up at peak hour. The West Gate Tunnel Project will seek to ease congestion on the West Gate Freeway and West Gate Bridge, and reduce the number of trucks on residential streets. However, because of the project there have been a variety of major road closures, including 24/7 M80 ramp closures, Williamstown Road and Princes Freeway and Geelong Road ramp closures. In a bid to avoid the congestion, motorists have started using residential streets
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as shortcuts. Brooklyn resident Tammie Cunningham said the roads around her house have been dangerously busy. “Two cars have been hit and one dog was almost hit as a car drove around my car which was parked,” she said. “The dog park is usually busy at these times and people who live around the area cannot get in their street let alone their houses.” Altona resident Hussien Khodr has also had a close call because of the increased traffic. “On the intersection between Marigold Avenue and Millers Road near Altona Gate, people start blocking people off and forget the road rules, which almost made me get into a
car accident,” he said. “It’s been like this for a month now and it’s starting to get frustrating.” A West Gate Tunnel Project spokesperson said while they understand disruptions are frustrating, “on a project of this scale some impacts are unavoidable.” “Over the summer works campaign, the West Gate Tunnel Project’s traffic teams work with the Department of Transport to continually monitor the traffic flow on the West Gate Freeway and across detour routes, making required adjustments where necessary to balance both traffic being detoured off the freeway and local roads,” the spokesperson said.
This car was involved in an accident on Millers Road as the driver was trying to turn into his driveway after car sped down a bike lane to avoid traffic. (Tammie Cunningham)
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