RESIDENTS living in a narrow street near a major WestConnex construction site fear the safety of children, pedestrians and local drivers will be threatened by heavy traffic caused by road diversions.

Householders in Crown St at St Peters are worried road closures that began last night will funnel trucks and huge volumes of traffic down the narrow one-way street.

WestConnex has told residents that the changed traffic conditions — to last for at least six weeks — are needed to allow work on road widening linked to the motorway’s St Peters interchange.

But residents say the diversion plan, which includes making the traffic in the one-way street run in the opposite direction, is a “recipe for chaos”.

Work on the WestConnex Interchange site at St Peters. Picture: Craig WilsonWestConnex representatives visiting Crown St have told householders that the traffic diversions into Crown St are meant for “local residents only”.

In a “Traffic Alert” media release WestConnex stated that “to ensure access for local traffic is maintained ... motorists travelling westbound on Campbell St will be detoured via Barwon Park Rd and Crown St before returning to Campbell St”.

Crown St resident John Bartholomew said children play on Crown St after school and on weekends because it is so quiet.

“There has been a baby boom here in the last 10 years,” Mr Bartholomew said.

“You’d think WestConnex would notice all the kids playing in the street. They’re only working just up the road.”

A scale model of the WestConnex St Peters Interchange.Trent Missingham, who has lived in Crown St for 17 years, said there are at least eight families in the street with children.

“These children, including mine, now have to contend with the only access road flying past their front doors,” Mr Missingham said.

“(They) have never dealt with traffic coming the opposite direction, let alone the amount of expected traffic at all times of the day and night.”

Residents said that work now underway on a new apartment complex on Barwon Park Rd will complicate the traffic issue

A WestConnex representative has told residents that traffic officers will be stationed at the northern end of Crown St to advise motorists that the road is only for use by residents.

But one resident believes drivers will simply say they are locals so they can avoid the congestion building on Barwon Park Rd.