Drivers on the Murray Valley Highway in Indigo Shire will have to drop their speed twice within six kilometres if there is traffic approaching from side roads.
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Regional Roads Victoria will soon turn on Side Road Activated Speed (SRAS) technology at the highway's intersection with Chiltern-Howlong Road in Browns Plains.
The signs directing drivers to slow from 100km/h to 70km/h are activated by traffic on the Chiltern-Howlong Road and replicate those six kilometres to the east.
Those signs, installed at the Barnawartha-Howlong Road intersection in 2017, were part of a trial.
Results indicate drivers do slow down when the signs are activated.
Department of Transport Hume regional director Steve Bowmaker said adding the SRAS technology to the Chiltern-Howlong Road intersection was "part of a statewide initiative targeting regional high-speed, high-risk intersections".
"This improves safety by giving drivers on side roads more time to enter the highway safely, while giving highway drivers more time to react if side traffic fails to give way," he said.
The 2017 installation of the variable speed signs followed a $800,000 reconfiguration of the Murray Valley Highway, Barnawartha-Howlong Road intersection.
Barnawartha Development Association member Nerida Kerr believed that upgrade had not improved safety.
"After a lot of letters and a lot of talking to engineers, their solution was to put those speed reduction signs in," she said.
"It seems to be a cheap and nasty solution that they're doing all the way along the Murray Valley Highway.
"It needs a major upgrade - there is so much traffic on that road.
"They need to have proper turning lanes and good, clear vision so people can enter and exit the intersection safely, so you can see what's coming without having to go far out onto the road."
Ms Kerr said the growing freight traffic meant it was time for the key arterial road to be significantly upgraded, including with the addition of overtaking lanes.
"In our view, the highway has been neglected for too long," she said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The installation comes as RRV, following a third phase of community consultation, explores final route options for the Rutherglen Heavy Vehicle Alternative Route with Indigo Shire Council.
Works to install the SRAS signs at Chiltern-Howlong Road commenced in February and are expected for completion by the end of March, with a 100km/h limit in place when the signs are not flashing.
A nearby section of the Chiltern-Howlong Road - where it intersects with Gooramadda Road - was the location of a fatal crash last week.
