It was the $15 million traffic solution meant to fix one of Figtree's biggest and most problematic intersections.
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But according to residents and regular users of the Princes Highway near The Avenue and Bellevue Road, the upgrade has been a failure.
The work, conducted by Roads and Maritime Services, was designed to reduce congestion, improve traffic flow from Westfield Figtree and make the busy intersection safer during peak hour.
But motorists who turned out at a "thank-you" barbecue hosted by the RMS and Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Roads John Ajaka on Saturday were scathing about the new work.
Mount St Thomas mother Deanne Richardson, who drives an after-school care bus through Figtree five days a week, said the new intersection was "a disgrace".
She said the biggest problem was a red arrow that prevented traffic from turning right from the Princes Highway onto The Avenue even when traffic was clear.
"I hate the new lights, because we get four sets of lights between Mount St Thomas and Figtree Public school, and it takes us half an hour to do the round trip when it should only take about 10 or 15 minutes," she said.
Figtree resident Wendy Wilson said extra lanes installed in the upgrade had made the intersection more dangerous and confusing.
"Now when you come around the corner you have all these people trying to merge, because they can go straight ahead or go to Westfield, so there's a lot more confusion," Ms Wilson said.
As well as those who turned out on the weekend, dozens of readers blasted the upgrade on the Mercury website.
"Traffic is worse than ever," online commenter Mel said.
"Now [it] takes two to three sets of light changes to get out of The Avenue [and] traffic is banked up along Bellevue Road regularly."
Mr Ajaka said the RMS was taking residents' feedback "very seriously" and would do its best to address their concerns.
"The biggest issue for the people we've spoken to is the lights and the sequencing in busy traffic," he said.
"They have been carefully monitored every day for the past two weeks, and we have already made some adjustments, but there are clearly further adjustments that need to be made."
