![Barry Warren started a petition against the Douglas-Reid-Scott street Rutherglen Heavy Vehicle Alternative Route. Picture: MARK JESSER Barry Warren started a petition against the Douglas-Reid-Scott street Rutherglen Heavy Vehicle Alternative Route. Picture: MARK JESSER](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ellen.ebsary/653d4f52-fe28-4e2c-817a-9f6377f66594.jpg/r0_0_4928_3280_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Up River Road and Main Street in Rutherglen are among the options for the Heavy Vehicle Alternative Route being re-examined by Regional Roads Victoria.
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Following opposition to the Douglas-Reid-Scott streets configuration, RRV expects to be back in touch with stakeholders and residents "in coming weeks".
Project officers will also share safety improvements added to designs for the Douglas Street option including footpaths, pedestrian crossings and intersection improvements.
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A series of community meetings prompted Northern Victoria MP Tim Quilty to question Roads Minister Jaala Pulford about the issue in Parliament in November.
Mr Quilty received a response this week and urged community members to be in touch with him.
"I asked Minister Pulford in Parliament whether she was prepared to listen to the Rutherglen community rather than let RRV push through with a terrible solution which nobody wants," he said.
"RRV had done some consultation on where trucks should go to avoid the town centre, but this Scott Street route was never proposed to residents.
"The Minister has told me that, although her government has been talking to the community since 2018, she has asked RRV to start more consultation, including the consideration of other routes such as Up River Road and an upgraded Main Street."
Ms Pulford confirmed the move to The Border Mail.
"We're continuing to work with locals ... as part of their planning process, I've asked Regional Roads Victoria to investigate alternatives including Up River Road and Main Street," she said.
The Minister did not respond to a question about how much has been expended from the $4 million allocated by the state and federal governments for this project.
Barry Warren, who co-ordinated a petition against the Douglas-Reid-Scott street route, understood that option was still the priority.
"The last time I got in contact with RRV, they had hoped to have the alternative route put before council by mid-February," he said.
"With the fires, I don't know whether that will happen.
"After it gets presented to council, it would then be put out for public display, and council would see the outcome of that and vote on it.
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"Council do have the last say in whether it goes through or not.
Two community meetings attended by hundreds did not result in a consensus of what was a preferred route.
"There was a motion passed that they did not accept the alternative route," Mr Warren said.
"A petition has gone to the Victorian government and to council."
Works on the ground will commence when the route is finalised.