Anger grows over lack of action on Drouin roads
Frustration is growing at Drouin over a lack of action on two major roadworks projects to boost safety around the town’s major industrial area.
Baw Baw Shire council stated almost two years ago that reconstruction of Weerong Rd was listed for the 2021-2022 financial year under its long term infrastructure plan after detailed design works were set down to be done in the 2020-2021 year.
Also on the agenda was a roundabout at the junction of Wellwood Rd, Princes Way and a parallel service road that service the industrial area including businesses located in Roberts Crt.
Responses by the shire and the Department of Transport last week to inquiries by The Gazette did not throw any new light on when the projects might be done.
RRV held a community information session in Drouin in September, 2019, at which it presented conceptual plans for the roundabout and other associated roadworks on Princes Way.
Officers said at the time RRV had started consultations with the community and other stakeholders as early as 2017 and a timetable for the work would depend on the finalisation of plans and approval of funding.
A department statement last week said planning and design solutions were still being investigated and included a technical review of community feedback.
Gippsland director of the transport department Beth Liley said RRV had undertaken “extensive community engagement to understand the needs of the fast-growing Drouin and Warragul communities” and would continue to explore ways to make Gippsland’s roads safer and journeys smoother.
The main need for the roundabout is to eliminate the dangers created by large vehicles, particularly semi-trailers and B-double trucks, having to swing off the roadway to turn from or into Princes Way and the service road that links to Roberts Crt and Wellwood Rd.
Council stated its intention to reconstruct Weerong Rd after considering a petition signed by 270 people plus 19 individual submissions.
Weerong Rd serves a large number of industrial businesses located there and in Darcan Way as well as the Drouin ambulance station and Drouin cemetery.
The petition to council followed a meeting of principals of many of the businesses in the area early in 2020, and attended by Cr Keith Cook, at which they stated their anger at the road’s condition.
They complained that Wellroad Rd was littered with potholes, too narrow for the heavy vehicles that operate from or serve the area, was badly drained and received little maintenance.
Several spoken to last week said “nothing had changed”.
They said they had not been told why the council’s earlier statement that Weerong Rd would be reconstructed in the 2021-2022 year at an estimated cost of $3million had not happened.
Council’s director community infrastructure Cohen Van der Velde said a designer engaged for the project had started work but “experienced significant resourcing disruptions as a result of COVID 19”. However, he said he expected detailed designs would be provided to council within the next few months.
Mr Van der Velde said the plans would then need to be sent to “relevant external authorities” for review of technical requirements and further feedback ahead of a tender recommendation report being prepared for council.
He said it was a “multi-year reconstruction project” that council was on track to complete as part of its long-term infrastructure program.