In 1999 the State Government released the Bass Highway Corridor Strategy. The strategy recognises the need to develop the road between Lang Lang and Anderson to ‘M’ road standard to improve driver safety and travel efficiency.
The Bass Highway forms an essential route between Melbourne and the Bass Coast region for freight, business, tourism and local motorists.
The highway is a gateway to some of Victoria’s premier tourist destinations along the South and Bass Coasts, in particular the Bunurong Marine Park and Phillip Island. Phillip Island is home of the penguin parade and major events such as the Motorcycle Grand Prix and V8 Supercar Championships.
The highway also services local agribusiness such as the beef and dairy industries.
Works along the Bass Highway have been done in stages. The upgrade from Lang Lang to King Road is complete. Section between King Road and Woolmer Road (Stage 6) is currently under construction. An upgrade between Woolmer Road and Phillip Island Road at Anderson (Stage 7) is the final stage of the project.
This stage includes creating a new link road connecting the Bass Highway and Phillip Island Road, separating the Phillip Island and Wonthaggi-bound traffic. The new link road will divert more than half the traffic from the Anderson Roundabout, improving safety and travel times and providing a long-term solution for traffic flow.
The works including upgrading Bass Highway to four lanes between Woolmer Road and Coast Road and creation of the new link road to Phillip Island Road have been allocated $39.8 million in the 2009 State Budget.
The proposed works include:
- creation of two added lanes east of the existing roadway between Woolmer Road and Coast Road
- a new link road off the Bass Highway between Coast Road and Phillip Island Road, approximately 2.5 km west of the Anderson roundabout
- upgrade of the existing road to provide improved road surface and safer access from side roads
- median opening at the Bass Landing/Woolamai Road intersection
- an overpass near Coast Road, to separate the Wonthaggi-bound and Phillip Island-bound traffic
- closure of Coast Road access at Bass Highway
- a new T-intersection connecting the new link road to Phillip Island Road.
The benefits include:
- reduced travel times to Phillip Island which hosts some of Victoria's favourite tourist and sporting attractions
- the ability to handle increased traffic volumes on Bass Highway
- safer and less stressful driving conditions for motorists
- an unimpeded traffic flow between Phillip Island and Melbourne by eliminating use of the roundabout at Anderson
- helps address the crash history on the first 2.5 km of Phillip Island Road by reducing traffic volumes
- bypassing a winding section of Phillip Island Road and providing two added lanes along Bass Highway. This will help reduce head-on and run-off road crashes. There have been 13 such crashes in a recent five-year period.
- the overpass will provide smoother, safer movements at the connection of the Bass Highway and the new link road, for Phillip Island and Wonthaggi-bound traffic
- assisting traffic to exit Phillip Island after major events such as the MotoGP
- safer access to the highway from side roads
- more efficient freight movement
- preservation of environmentally and culturally significant sites along the Bass Highway.
VicRoads engaged specialist consultants to investigate the environmental impacts of the proposed road works between Woolmer Road and Phillip Island Road.
All vegetation removal will be carried out in accordance with the provisions of relevant acts.
VicRoads applied for a Planning Scheme Amendment to the Bass Coast Shire Council in early 2008. The proposed amendment was exhibited in September/October 2008 for community input.
Following a panel hearing in June 2009, Bass Coast Shire Council has resolved to adopt the Planning Scheme Amendment and it is to be submitted to the Minister for Planning for approval.
For further information about this project, you can:
Phone: (03) 5172 2666
Write: Regional Director – Eastern Victoria, VicRoads Eastern Region, PO Box 158, Traralgon VIC 3844
Email: vicroads.eastern@roads.vic.gov.au
Visit: VicRoads Eastern Region Office, 120 Kay Street, Traralgon