Baden-Clay tribute scene danger eased
Drivers stopping at the spot where a murdered woman’s body was found have forced the authorities to create a parking area amid safety fears.
Allison Baden-Clay's remains were discovered near the Kholo Creek bridge at Anstead, 10 days after she was reported missing in April last year.
The State Government said it had turned a narrow roadside strip into parking as the scene was attracting grieving family and friends as well as strangers who have followed the high-profile murder case.
Motorists slowing down, driving erratically and performing dangerous U-turns raised fears of crashes, News Ltd reports.
Allison's family has installed a stone monument at the site in Mt Crosby Rd and plans to add a memorial plaque at the site.
"We wanted a permanent memorial as a tribute to Allison," her sister Vanessa Fowler said.
"We go there to reflect on Allison's life. It's not just to remember Allison's birthday or the day of her funeral, we go there often."
Moggill MP Bruce Flegg says it has presented a safety hazard for some time.
"I go through there regularly and there were frequently people leaving flowers and people going down there just to sticky beak.
"It's a very dangerous bit of road because the cars couldn't get off so they'd be on the verge and half protruding on the road.
"They’ve tried to make it as safe as possible to encourage cars to get off the verge of the road."
The government doesn’t encourage monuments on state land but tries to accommodate relatives, he said.
"There's a bit of concern about it but people were going there anyway," Dr Flegg said.
"While it's not supported, there is understanding for why grieving families would want to commemorate a site."
Allison’s husband Gerard Baden-Clay has been charged with her murder and is due to face trial next year.
A Main Roads spokesman said the department had been working with Allison's family to find a safe location for a memorial.
Since Allison's body was discovered, signs have been erected at either end of the bridge warning motorists that stopping within 500m of the overpass was prohibited.
But the new road reserve would be used as a turnaround and parking area for maintenance vehicles along the stretch, the spokesman said.
"It can also provide room for family and friends to stop safely to pay their respects," he said.
Memorials are allowed on state roads provided they are not distracting and do not pose a safety hazard.
Main Roads have assisted families with roadside memorials at Gaven, Tamborine Mountain and Blackbutt Range.
Under guidelines from 2009, generally a permit is required for memorials beside state-controlled roads and each is assessed case-by-case.
"Transport and Main Roads developed the guidelines with the aim of being sensitive to the needs of grieving families and communities, while balancing the safety needs of the travelling public," the spokesman said.
