Recommendation to close Lillico Rd stands

A recommendation that Baw Baw Shire proceeds with the closure of a section of Lillico Rd, Warragul will be presented to council tomorrow night.

An alternative solution to closing the section of road was presented to council last month.

But, council staff, after reviewing submissions, have recommended council “discontinues the section of road.”

Council received 10 submissions on the proposal and a number of submitters presented their cases to council at its October 10 meeting.

Former Warragul Shire engineer Gerry Prestney outlined an option that he said would eliminate at least three problems for council.

Mr Prestney told council his option would give priority to the majority of vehicles travelling to and from Warragul.

Closure of a section of Lillico Rd where a residential estate has been developed has been on the council table almost all of this year.

In August, council resolved to begin the process to formally close the road by advertising its intention to close the section of road.

Officers recommended that a 200 metre section of Lillico Rd be closed, forcing motorists through a new residential estate and then back onto Lillico Rd. The section to be closed will be between Eve Rd and entry to the new 369 lot residential estate.

A report to be presented to councillors tomorrow night said Mr Prestney’s submission noted several alternative views to council engineers.

“This submission proposed to keep the current Lillico Road alignment open to through traffic and was presented as a more direct route into Warragul.

Another submission, from Park Lea developments who has purchased 74 Lillico Rd, had no in principle objection to the diversion of traffic through the new road alignment but did not support the full closure of the identified section.

“Whilst the alternative designs all have merit, the new connector road from Dollarburn Rd to the Eve Rd/Lillico Rd intersection as identified in the Precinct Structure Plan is intended to become the new collector road for the northern part of the Warragul township.

“In this context the closure of the identified section of Lillico Road is the most practical outcome,” council officers say in the report.

Submissions to council related to the historical significance of Lillico Rd; safety of the Eve Rd intersection; noise and pollution from heavy vehicles; traffic flow; access for trucks; confusion and inconvenience.

Council will consider the officer’s report and recommendation tomorrow night before making a decision.

A proposal presented by former Warragul Shire engineer Gerry Prestney suggests closing the Lillico-Eve Rd intersection and linking Eve Rd into the already constructed subdivision road.

Baw Baw Shire’s recommendation to discontinue a section of Lillico Rd, which means traffic will travel through a new residential estate. The green sections in both the above and below diagrams represents Lillico Rd.