Road priorities endorsed
A new arterial road network to deal with major current and future traffic issues around Warragul and Drouin and upgrading the Princes Freeway west of Longwarry to restore a 100 kilometre per hour speed limit are among priorities in a revised infrastructure master plan for the region.
A review of the Gippsland Freight Master Plan prepared by the Committee for Gippsland and the Regional Development Australia Gippsland committee was presented earlier this month to Federal Minister for regional development, local government and territories Kristy McBain during a visit to the region.
The plan, that covers the period until 2028, identified 34 priority infrastructure projects with the Warragul-Drouin road networks ranked the second highest and the freeway upgrade ninth.
According to the report, the projects were needed to meet Gippsland's lead role in a clean energy future for the state and the requirements of new export markets and sustainable development. It called for funding to plan a new Warragul-Drouin road network.
Existing roads "cannot cope with current congestion and growth and is putting the brakes on business and industry and impacting liveability for residents".
A commitment from government to upgrade all intersections on Princes Fwy west of Longwarry to the outer suburban area also was a high priority in the plan.
The work would involve overpasses and road upgrades at dangerous intersections.
While much of the plan deals with road projects on the Princes and South Gippsland highways to boost efficiency for freight movement it also calls for improvements to rail, air and sea ports, the latter involving upgrading of the Barrry Beach/Port Anthony marine terminal in Corner Inlet.
There also is a need to upgrade existing airports at Latrobe, West Sale and Bairnsdale airports and consideration given to establishing an international airport in Gippsland.
Committee for Gippsland chief executive officer Tony Cantwell said the freight infrastructure master plan highlighted essential services for a rapidly growing and transitioning region that is in the midst of a one-in-acentury transformation.
A large determinant of success would be the cohesiveness and efficiency of Gippsland's freight task, he said.