TRAFFIC lights will soon be directing one of Ballarat's most notorious intersections less than a year after stop signs were installed in an attempt to keep drivers safe.
More than $700,000 will be spent on the intersection of Sturt and Ripon streets, which has frustrated police and drivers for many years.
The money will come from a $5.7 million road funding package for Ballarat, announced in the city by State Roads Minister Tim Pallas yesterday.
"There are 12 projects that we are specifically looking at providing, which is part of general maintenance and safer roads infrastructure spending," he said.
"Essentially, it is the Government continuing efforts to make sure our investment ... actually reduces our country road toll.
"Importantly these sort of treatments are all based on the advice we get from accident history and so it's about making sure we get safer and more efficient roads so that people can move to where they are going without the potential hazards."
Ballarat West MLA Karen Overington said she was pleased the notorious Sturt and Ripon streets intersection would see lights installed.
"It is a real hotspot if you like," she said.
"There are stop signs erected but because the last set of lights are down in Drummond St, this section of Sturt St becomes a bit of a speedway.
"You only have to stand here for a few minutes to see people not observing the stop signs so it appears that the only way to fix this is lights."
VicRoads Western Victoria manager Lance Midgley said the stop signs had not worked.
"People are still not observing those signs, they are still having crashes so the next step is to put in the traffic lights," he said.
Mr Midgley said he expected the lights would be installed within eight or nine months.
Other large funding amounts will be spent on road and bridge rehabilitation and safety improvements on the Midland Hwy, the Geelong-Ballan Rd, the Creswick-Newstead Rd and the Daylesford-Ballarat Rd.