Motorists passing through Woodend might notice new signs warning them to be on the lookout for wildlife.
Macedon Ranges council and the Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network have joined forces to trial larger, green animal warning signs on a section of Ashbourne Road where collisions with wildlife often occur.
Woodend is regularly named as an animal collision hotspot, and has been included in AAMI and the RACV’s top-10 areas for collisions in recent years.
The council said research has shown that the traditional diamond-shaped yellow signs may not be effective at reducing collisions with wildlife.
As part of the trial, two large green signs have been installed on either side of the road, while zebra stripes have been painted on the road in the lead up to the signs in a bid to grab drivers’ attention.
A vehicle counter system to measure motorist speeds before and after the signs has also been installed and will be used to evaluate the trial.
The council’s acting chief executive Dale Thornton said the Macedon Ranges was home to a large diversity of animals, including 62 threatened species.
“Roads are a major hazard for wildlife that move through the landscape, and collisions with wildlife are also a significant safety concern for drivers,” he said.
The new signs are also the first in the world to feature an icon of the brush-tailed phascogale, a threatened marsupial found in the shire. Council officers have come across many phascogales killed on the roads.
Mr Thornton said research has shown unusual icons on signs can increase driver recognition and attention to the signs.
If the trial is successful, the council will consider extending the signs to other sites.
