Even without an official diversion in place, heavy vehicles are already using routes other than the main street to get through Rutherglen.
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Data, including from traffic counters, turning movement surveys and vehicle classification surveys, was in part released to residents at a Regional Roads Victoria drop-in session on Tuesday.
On average 403 heavy vehicles are passing through Main Street daily, mainly travelling east to west from the direction of either Wodonga or Yarrawonga.
While a wide range of statistics will inform an origin and destination study, the data presented to residents on Tuesday related to heavy vehicles coming and going in a 25-minute period.
Those that stayed longer than that were deemed local traffic, and their exit point was not included in the snapshot.
Of the 144 heavy vehicles coming from Wodonga that travelled along the Murray Valley Highway without using Main Street, 29 went off towards Howlong, 16 took Up River Road, and 10 were identified on the other side of the town travelling towards Yarrawonga – the remaining were deemed ‘local traffic’.
The majority of trucks coming from Wahgunyah-Wangaratta Road, which did not stop in town, used Up River Road as an alternative to Main Street to travel towards Wodonga.
Peak times for heavy vehicles on High Street was between 9am and 10am – with 24 vehicles detected on the traffic counters – and 3pm and 4pm (30 vehicles).
Resident Roger Farrell said he believed an alternative route incorporating Up River Road was the best option and was annoyed that further consultation was being done.
“We’ve had multiple surveys, and there have been many meetings with the public,” he said.
“There have been trucking companies involved with all sorts of discussions.
“You’re never going to satisfy all of the population but the exercise should be getting trucks away from the majority of the population.”
RRV North East Regional Director Nicki Kyriakou said a number of data sources were being examined.
“We now have data about heavy vehicle movements through the town, collected in an Origin and Destination Study to help us understand where the traffic is going and at what times of day,” she said.
“We will also have a survey available for community members to provide feedback about the potential for an alternative route which will be developed using the existing road network, rather than through the creation of a bypass.”
Regional Roads Victoria outlined in an information sheet they would be liaising with Indigo Council to identify the best alternative route options, “before going back to the community for further feedback – determination of a heavy vehicle alternative route and some early works are expected in 2019”.
Access the online survey up until October 15 at regionalroads.vic.gov.au/have-a-say.