The project to get trucks out of Rutherglen’s main street has been delayed to allow for more consultation.
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Joint federal and state funding of $4 million was released last year, and the first $600,000 was to be spent on an origin and destination study determining traffic volume and directions of travel.
When counters were put out in November, project leader VicRoads said construction on the new route “would commence late-2018”.
Asked if this timing was on track, VicRoads said in a statement “following community feedback, we have revised the project’s timeline to allow for a more involved consultation process … before a final decision is made on the route and construction can begin in 2019”.
VicRoads North Eastern regional director Nicki Kyriakou said information sessions, to share traffic survey results and gather feedback on potential routes, would be held in coming weeks.
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“We’re continuing to work towards a solution to get more heavy vehicles off Main Street in Rutherglen to improve safety and reduce congestion,” she said.
Re-route-Rutherglen campaigner Roberta Horne said the community had been pushing for change for decades and it was about time options for a diversion were put to residents.
“It’s well over a year they (VicRoads) have had our money,” she said.
“Minister Darren Chester asked for ‘a plan’ and the VicRoads representative, Nathan Mulhane told us that we ‘had to get consensus on an existing road network that just needed to have the infrastructure upgraded’.
“There is overwhelming support of the Up River route for a Heavy Vehicle Deviation.”
Indigo Mayor Jenny O’Connor said it was important not to preempt route options and that council had suggested to VicRoads there needed to be more community engagement.
“Even if that’s frustrating in terms of the delay, I would much rather make sure the community has enough information and input rather than sticking to guidelines for the sake of it,” she said.
VicRoads says it’s not yet decided whether Main Street Rutherglen – currently the Murray Valley Highway – will become a Municipal Road once the heavy vehicle alternative route is established.
Whether or not the street will become the authority of council, Ms Horne in the meantime is collecting signatures for a petition calling on a signalised pedestrian crossing to be created at the intersection of Main and High streets.
The petition has the support of the town’s high school principal and others.
Phil Rogers said there was a school crossing for his students but he saw benefit in a round-the-clock crossing.
“The school crossing is not central, so in many cases, students are walking out between parked cars and with it being a narrow street and trucks going through, there’s no room for error,” he said.
Indigo North Health chief executive Shane Kirk said a formal crossing was important for the area’s young families and elderly residents too.
“We need to ensure they’re safe when they cross the road – it’s the main thoroughfare through the centre of town,” he said.
“If our residents are taken down the street, it would be nice to know it’s safe for them cross.”
Cr O’Connor said she had raised the petition with VicRoads.
“If that is one of the community’s preferred actions to help with managing trucks in the street, I would be encouraging them to make sure they get that message to VicRoads,” she said.
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