Planning and construction for major road network improvement projects in regional Victoria are currently underway including:
VicRoads has received a permit from Heritage Victoria for its proposal to dismantle, reconstruct and adapt the Barwon Heads Bridge . The Minister for Planning has issued a Ministerial Amendment to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme to allow the project to proceed. Consent has also been received from the Department of Sustainability and environment under the Coastal Management Act, and from Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. The new proposal features a separate pedestrian crossing alongside the road bridge which will be reconstructed and adapted.
VicRoads is proposing to realign Breakwater Road to provide a new bridge connection across the Barwon River to improve east - west traffic flows in Geelong and replace the existing Barwon River bridge crossing which is flood-prone and height restricted beneath the Geelong - Warrnambool rail line bridge.
The Calder Freeway upgrade between Melbourne and Bendigo has been completed with the final 19km section between Elphinstone and Harcourt North opened in April 2009.
Colac-Lavers Hill Road is an important arterial road for tourists, commuter and business travel providing a link between the Princes Highway West to the Great Ocean Road, the coastal townships of Apollo Bay, Princetown and Port Campbell and the Otway Fly.
The first three stages of the Geelong Ring Road have been completed providing a freeway-standard road extending 23 kilometres along Geelong's western outskirts from the Princes Freeway at Corio to the Princes Highway at Waurn Ponds.
An overpass of the Princes Highway at Waurn Ponds and 2.5 km extension connecting directly to Anglesea Road (Section 4A) is currently under construction with planning underway for future connections west to the Princes Highway (Section 4B) and east to the Surf Coast Highway (Section 4C).
The bypass will extend the four lane freeway route for 17km to the east of Nagambie between Mitchellstown Road and Weir Road.
Planning and investigations are underway to upgrade the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale with the initial works to commence at Traralgon East.
Planning and investigations are underway to duplicate the Western Highway between Ballarat and Stawell with initial works proposed west from Ballarat to Burrumbeet. Beyond Stawell to the South Australian border, proposed works include construction of overtaking lanes, rest area improvements and planning for the Horsham Bypass.
The Victorian Minister for Roads and Ports announced in December 2007, that agreement in principal had been reached between the Campaspe and Murray Shires and the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation (YYNAC), for detailed investigations into a new corridor for a second Murray River crossing at Echuca-Moama.
A
Shepparton Bypass is the best long term solution to
- cater for long term traffic growth
- address major deficiencies required to meet National Highway System objectives
- improve the level of service for commercial traffic in the region
- improve safety and accessibility for both local and through traffic
- provide relief for congested intersections in the city centre
- reduce accidents, particularly those involving trucks
- provide certainty for future land use development
- improve the amenity of the urban centres of Shepparton and Mooroopna
This project is not scheduled for construction for a number of years. The alignment of the Strathmerton Deviation will:
- eliminate the current indirect route for traffic movements west of Strathmerton and Tocumwal along the Goulburn Valley Highway;
- save 9km of travel compared with the current route; and
- enhance safety by eliminating a number of curves and narrow bridges approaching the Murray River near the border with NSW
Kilmore and Wallan are growing fast and that means more traffic on our roads. The initial priority will be to duplicate the Northern Highway from the Hume Freeway to north of Wallan, with the longer-term priority to complete the duplication between Wallan and Kilmore.