It’s D-Day on the B-Doubles.
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It has been what feels a terribly long wait for the people of Rutherglen to get the big trucks out of town.
The council has carefully analysed a range of options over the years for its alternative heavy vehicle route.
Now it just needs more funding, or at least one half of the amount.
The Victorian government has already done its bit, allocating $2 million towards the $4 million required to get things under way.
All that remains is for federal Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester to show he is as good as his word.
As Indigo mayor Jenny O’Connor noted, the minister indicated the money would be made available as soon as the council completed required works in conjunction with VicRoads – that included a study into engineering matters and the projects wider impacts, including on the environment and community.
Indigo’s ultimate wish is to have more than $3 million made available over the next two years in order to complete this vital infrastructure.
The project isn’t just a matter of getting busy traffic out of Main Street as it cuts through the middle of the CBD.
It is about giving those big trucks a way to avoid the busy, thriving heart of the popular tourist town.
Several steps have already been taken to try to improve the amenity of the place despite the trucks, including a lowered speed limit and vantage points to make it easier for pedestrians to cross.
But nothing will be as significant as getting the trucks out of town, to prevent incidents such as a logjam last week when several trucks heading in opposite directions were left in a tight squeeze at a roundabout.
Clearly there is still much more to be done, especially in the planning stage, though it seems equally clear that the community continues to show its support for reaching a final outcome that will benefit all Rutherglen residents.
That is especially the case given the large numbers of tourists who flock to the town to enjoy the region’s wineries and the culinary and other attractions of businesses along the strip.
All that remains, for now, is for the federal money to come through.