VicRoads is undertaking detailed planning to reserve land for the following future corridors:
- A link between Melbourne Airport and the future Outer Metropolitan Ring (OMR) Transport Corridor;
and
- A bypass of Bulla.
The study will seek to identify suitable routes that will support future traffic volumes in the region and provide an improved connection from Melbourne Airport to the city’s north and west. This will in turn enable land to be identified and reserved for future transport needs.
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Specialist studies are underway in the study area.
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Route options for the Bulla Bypass are being developed and will be available for inspection along with the Melbourne Airport Link to the Outer Metropolitan Ring route at the next Information Days. More Information about the current options is provided in the April Information Bulletin.
Information Update April 2012 [PDF, 405KB, 6pp]
- See below for details about Information Days in May 2012.
Now that draft concept plans are being developed, showing potential route options in more detail, members of the public are invited to attend one of the Information Days to help shape the proposed optons by providing local knowledge, views about the options and suggested improvements.
This is an opportunity to have your say on the planning study and find out more about the project.
In response to requests by the Bulla Bypass Committee and the City of Hume an additional Information Day is being held:
VicRoads will display the draft preliminary route options and other preliminary planning information that has been undertaken to date.
The study team will be on hand to discuss the planning and experts from VicRoads Property Services will be available to discuss any queries regarding property related issues.
As well as the Information Days, VicRoads officers will also be available for separate individual interviews with local residents to discuss issues of concern during May 2012. VicRoads can be contacted by email or telephone to arrange a suitable time.
Email: omrlinkbullabypass@roads.vic.gov.au
Tel: 9811 8160
The specialist consultants studying social and business impacts will start their investigations in May 2012. This will involve interviews with people living and working in the area. A letter about this topic will be sent to people who may potentially be interviewed.
The last few months have been dedicated to developing draft concept design options and getting the specialist consultant studies underway. Information from the early studies and the September Information Days have influenced option development. An Indicative plan of the options is shown in the April 2012 Information Update. This update also provides preliminary information about the options and reasons for not taking forward all the options considered.
There is a minor change to the Study Area along
Somerton Road just east of
Oaklands Road. This is to enable potential widening works at the intersection to match back to the existing road.
Flora and Fauna specialists started work on a spring survey in October and cultural heritage and landscape specialists commenced during November and December 2011.
A traffic survey was also carried out in November 2011 to get an idea of current 2011 traffic flows around the Bulla area. You may have seen the counters out on a number of roads in the area.
The specialist consultancy work will take several more months to complete. Specialist reports will be made available when they are finalised later in 2012.
Three information days took place on the 16, 17 and 22 September 2011 at the Bulla Community Centre. More than 150 people attended from Bulla, the surrounding area and Sunbury.
Those attending provided useful feedback that assisted in the further development of options in the northern corridor, in relation to environmental impacts, property and social impacts and ideas about potential alignments.
VicRoads also received positive feedback regarding the commencement of the planning study and the selection of the northern corridor.
Those community members with concerns about potential impacts on their property and the land acquisition and compensation process were able to meet with VicRoads Property Services officers. They can continue to be contacted by phone on Tel: 03) 9854 2770.
As a result of the September 2011 Information Days, VicRoads has developed a response to frequently asked questions. Please refer to the attached document.
Frequently asked Questions [PDF, 27KB, 6pp]
Frequently asked Questions [MS Word, 53KB, 6pp]
If you were unable to attend the information days but would like to know more about this project, please contact us via any of the links below.
Those community members with specific concerns about the land acquisition and compensation process can speak directly with our VicRoads Property Services Department officers on Tel: (03) 9854 2770.
Your views are important. There are various ways to let us know what issues should be taken into consideration in the planning. You can contact us:
Email omrlinkbullabypass@roads.vic.gov.au
Phone Tel: 9811 8160
Write to Manager Planning Investigations,
VicRoads
Level 1, 3 Prospect Hill Road,
Camberwell VIC 3124
The study is anticipated to take around two years to complete as shown in the timeline.
Community engagement is an important part of this study and local residents will be involved throughout the process. Initially you will be able to contribute local knowledge about the area to help with the detailed field studies that have been taking place from October 2011. When completed later this year, these specialist consultant reports will be made available. There will be more information days at key points during the study and before the preferred routes are finalised.
Over the next few months the process to achieve environmental clearances will be determined in conjunction with the Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and Communities, particularly in relation to Commonwealth land, and the Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development regarding State processes.
The Statutory Approval process of obtaining a Public Acquisition Overlay to reserve the land includes an exhibition of the preferred options and you will be invited to make a formal submission on the project. An independent planning panel may be appointed to consider submissions before a final decision is made on the transport corridors to be reserved in the Council's planning scheme.
