A 35-year-old man was struck by a car on the pedestrian island at the Princes Hwy and Brodie Sparks Dr intersection in Wolli Creek at about 4.20pm on July 31, renewing community demands for a pedestrian overpass that has remained unbuilt for a decade.
Dashcam footage appears to show a vehicle overtaking a car turning right, then continuing straight and clipping a pedestrian safety fence before hitting the man. Photos show the hatchback's front end extensively damaged, with a mangled section of railing in front of it.
The man was treated for leg and spinal injuries and taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in a serious but stable condition. The 52-year-old female driver was also taken to hospital for mandatory testing. No charges have been laid and the investigation is continuing.
A haunting repeat of 2016
The latest crash mirrors the 2016 death of 22-year-old Nicole Lewanski, who was killed at the same crossing by an out-of-control ute. Lewanski was standing on the pedestrian island when Patrick Nealon, then 35, ran a red light and hit her, throwing her several metres along the highway. Nealon's blood alcohol level was nearly four times the legal limit, and he was sentenced to a minimum of six years and four months in jail for aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death.
Following Lewanski's death, residents renewed calls for a pedestrian overpass. The NSW Government identified a potential overpass in its Bayside West Precinct Land Use and Infrastructure Strategy, and it was referenced in the former Rockdale Council's Cahill Park Master Plan. Roads and Maritime Services (now Transport for NSW) acknowledged in 2016 that a future overpass had been identified in planning documents and would depend on developer funding.
Member for Rockdale Steve Kamper, now NSW Minister for Lands and Property, vowed in 2016 to push the project forward: "I've had a very productive conversation with the proponent of Cooks Cove today to fast track the delivery of a pedestrian footbridge over the Princes Hwy at Wolli Creek this morning, and they are fully supportive of delivering this for the community. We need a solution here so that this is never allowed to happen again."
Planning documents released in 2020 for the Bayside West precinct again identified pedestrian access improvements across the Princes Hwy as a potential future project, but the proposal never progressed beyond planning, remaining subject to funding and government priorities.
Residents: enough is enough
Witness Wei Li Lim said being vigilant was not enough. "My family and I cross this street every day and today, if I was a few seconds early, it could have very well been me," he said. "As vigilant as one could be, there was no chance of dodging an oncoming car like this."
Others in the community echoed his fears, with one person writing: "Oh no. Not again. Same thing happened a while ago." Another said: "I don't know who decided this fence would protect people from any force of a car, but something needs to be done to prevent further heartbreak for these people's families."
Several renewed calls for an overpass or stronger protections. "Perhaps an overhead bridge that doesn't interfere with such a busy intersection?" one suggested. "They should be a walkway bridge. Let's petition for this. Too many people are hurt and killed here," wrote another.
Councillor's long-running fight
Bayside councillor Jerome Boutelet, who has campaigned for two years for an overpass at the intersection, said the crash was "unfortunately not surprising". "It's not some random corner somewhere. It's a spot that hundreds, if not thousands, of people use every week. It is a highway. Just having a little island in the middle of six lanes of traffic like this is crazy," he told 7NEWS.com.au.
Boutelet said Transport for NSW and the state government had repeatedly rejected calls for an overpass because they did not consider the intersection high-risk. "Council passed a motion last year to write to the state government to ask them to invest in this urgently," he said. "It's a state government road, there's not actually much that the council can do. I think it just hasn't been prioritised by the government."
He launched a fresh petition after the latest crash, attracting about 300 signatures within 48 hours. He plans to present it to the next council meeting on August 26, urging councillors to push for an overpass or interim measures like stronger railings or bollards.
Will the overpass finally be built?
Transport for NSW said it would review the intersection. "Once police inquiries have been completed, Transport for NSW will undertake a review of the site and relevant information to assess whether further safety measures should be considered," a spokesperson said. "Transport for NSW will work with Bayside Council to assess community calls for a pedestrian overpass. Any consideration of such a project would form part of future planning processes and be subject to funding and broader infrastructure priorities."
Kamper said he would continue advocating for improvements: "My thoughts are with those affected by last week's crash. The safety of our community must come first, and I will continue advocating for the improvements needed to make this intersection safer."
