Trucks to stay – for now

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Trucks to stay – for now

Everyday occurrence: an alternate route for trucks through Leongatha appears to be some way off. Photo: Jason Lester.

By Brad Lester
TRUCKS will continue to drive through the heart of Leongatha for some time yet.
The long-awaited alternate route for trucks and other heavy vehicles through Leongatha still sits low on VicRoads’ priority list for funding.
VicRoads regional director Patricia Lew said detailed planning of the route was yet to be undertaken.
“Funding for the planning of improvement projects such as the alternate truck route in Leongatha is subject to road project priorities across the state,” she said.
South Gippsland Shire Council has been lobbying for an alternate heavy vehicle route, most likely diverting traffic from Anderson Street to Hughes Street, and then along Long Street and back onto Koonwarra Road, avoiding the central business district.
“VicRoads supports council’s identified route and it has been included in long term planning for the South Gippsland Highway,” Ms Lew said.
The route was one of council’s priority projects for funding presented to state and federal MPs in Leongatha recently.
The proposal has been recognised by the South East Australian Transport Strategy and also the Gippsland Local Government Network, said Mayor Cr Jim Fawcett.
“It ticked all the right boxes and now it’s a matter of getting the funding for it to get it going,” he said.
“VicRoads have said they have got it up on their priority list but there is a lot of other work and they feel that federal funding would be more likely the way.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, was unable to comment on the likelihood of funding given the government was in caretaker mode.
Funding for the alternate route was offered to council about eight years ago but at the time, council was considering a bypass of the town, via Racecourse Road.
“That caused a fair bit of angst and did not get any legs,” Cr Fawcett said.
“Now we have another council and are in agreeance as to where the route is.
“We need to justify to the bureaucracy the need and the priority.”
In 2008, VicRoads contributed to a study undertaken by council to investigate traffic management in Leongatha. That study included a recommendation for a future alternate truck route in the township.
Council will also continue to lobby VicRoads for a bypass of Korumburra, but the mayor said VicRoads must also make that project a priority if it is to proceed.
“We have to prioritise. It won’t drop off the list but we have to recognise that it’s a longer term issue rather than a short one,” Cr Fawcett said.
Council faced compensation issues under its previous proposal of a bypass route.

Short URL: http://www.thestar.com.au/?p=228

Posted by SiteAdmin on Aug 3 2010. Filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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