No cash to ease road clog

Barwon Heads Rd jammed

HUNDREDS of extra vehicles are clogging Barwon Heads Rd but no cash has been committed to duplicate the thoroughfare in the next financial year.

New neighbourhoods in the Armstrong Creek growth area have caused traffic to bottleneck near the Marshall level crossing at peak times, although State Roads Minister Luke Donnellan says planning is under way to ease congestion.

The Barwarre, Breakwater and Settlement road intersections are also experiencing increased traffic during the morning and afternoon commute times.

VicRoads is undertaking a $3 million planning study to duplicate the road between Settlement Rd and Lower Duneed Rd. However, no cash was committed to construction in the 2018-19 State Budget.

Mr Donnellan said proper planning needed to be completed before the road’s scheduled transformation.

“VicRoads is making sure this vital duplication is done right, incorporating the com- munity feedback received late last year,” he said.

“They’re currently undertaking a detailed investigation and will be sharing an updated design later in the year.”

South Barwon MP Andrew Katos said the lack of dollars allocated by the State Government towards the project spoke volumes about Labor’s commitment to duplication.

“There’s 7000 to 8000 new residents in the Armstrong Creek growth area and the Andrews Government knew about these pressures and has failed to act,” the Coalition MP said.

“Not one dollar was allocated to duplication in the coming State Budget. In the meantime, there’s congestion at the Marshall level crossing, huge bankups of traffic at the Barwarre Rd intersection and closer to Geelong at Settlement Rd.”

The state Coalition committed to grade separation of the Separation Rd/ Barwon Heads intersection in November, allowing for Barwon Heads Rd traffic to run seamlessly down to the High St/ Barrabool Rd crossroads without intersecting with the old Princes Highway.