$125m pledge on road project
THE second stage of the Barwon Heads Rd duplication project will receive $125m from the next state government, after the Labor Party announced it would match the commitment made by the Liberals.
Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan on Thursday pledged the $125m funding boost to duplicate Barwon Heads Rd along Armstrong Creek’s eastern boundary, from between Reserve Rd to Lower Duneed Rd.
The funding pledge matches that made by the Liberal Party in October and a federal government investment of $125m, leaving little doubt the major roads project will go ahead.
“Families across Bellarine and South Barwon rely on Barwon Heads Rd every day to go to work, take their kids to school and see their loves ones,” Ms Allan said.
South Barwon state Labor MP Darren Cheeseman said the works would ensure travelling around the fast-growing Armstrong Creek area would be “safer, more reliable and quicker”.
The first stage of the Barwon Heads Rd duplication project is set to be completed early next year, and features 4km of duplicated Barwon Heads Rd between Settlement and Reserve Roads, the removal of the Marshall level crossing, upgraded intersections, new traffic lights and walking and cycling paths and dedicated on-road cycling lanes.
Barwon Heads Road is expected to reach 44,000 daily users by 2031, as Armstrong Creek continues to house much of the region’s population boom.
The Liberal Party also announced a $125m pledge to fund the second stage of the project in early October
Opposition transport infrastructure spokesman Matt Bach said Stage 2 of the project would create hundreds of local jobs during the construction period, and labelled the project “critically important” for the growing area.
Liberal candidate for Bellarine Donnie Grigau said the upgrade would have major benefits for communities living on the peninsula.
“The second stage of the Barwon Heads road duplication will make driving through the Armstrong Creek growth corridor easier and ultimately provide quicker travel times between Geelong and Barwon Heads for families and tourists,” Mr Grigau said.