$1m to fix road risks

More than $1 million dollars will be spent on two accident black spots in Broome identified as the most dangerous in the region.

A roundabout will be constructed at the Hamersley Street-Haas Street intersection where a taxi passenger died in an accident in July 2013.

The built-up part of town has a speed limit of 50km/h and is currently controlled by give way signs.

A second roundabout will be built at the Cable Beach Road East, Reid Road and Kimberley Training Institute access road intersection.

The work will include improved lighting, line marking and signage.

The location was singled out in the RAC/The West Australian Risky Roads campaign in November last year as needing immediate attention to improve the safety of motorists negotiating the layout.

The Federal Government has released the funding as part of its campaign to fix black spots in regional WA.

It has allocated $595,000 for the Hamersley-Haas roundabout and $580,000 towards works on Cable Beach Road East.

The money resulted from applications made by the Shire of Broome in conjunction with the Kimberley Regional Road Group.

Chairman of the Kimberley Regional Road Group and Broome Road Wise, Graeme Campbell, said the grants would fully fund the projects and enable two areas with safety concerns to be addressed.

Mr Campbell said the intersection on Cable Beach East, Reid Road and the KTI entrance had been hazardous for some time, particularly as KTI has expanded.

"We are very lucky that we have not had more accidents at that location," he said.

Mr Campbell said that the funding to the Shire of Broome covered two "high-priority risk areas".

He said they were the only applications approved for the Kimberley and expressed his appreciation to the Commonwealth.

Broome Police Station officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Brendon Barwick welcomed the announcements.

He said while there had only been a few minor crashes at the Cable Beach Road East intersection, it was one of the busiest during the mornings and afternoons for vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle movements.

"We have people attending the KTI, children crossing to get to the footpath and the general public going about their everyday business," Sen. Sgt Barwick said.

He said the Hamersley Street-Haas Street intersection was frustrating to negotiate, particularly at busy times of the day.

He urged road users to be patient and obey road speed signs while the works were carried out.

"While there will be some inconvenience to commuters during the construction of the roundabouts, the benefits to road users and pedestrians will be significant," Sen. Sgt Barwick said.