VicRoads has been asked not to undertake the intersection works at Princes Highway / McEacharn Street and Bullumwaal Road / Howitt Avenue at the same time.
Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, said that in the Eastwood / Wy Yung area there was over 4,000 residents and many more in outlying communities who work or attend school in Bairnsdale.
“If we were to have both major routes into the town impacted at the same time, it will cause traffic chaos,” he said.
Mr Bull said after the Federal Government provided the funding to the State for these two projects over four years ago, it has sat on its hands, so it is ridiculous to think after waiting this long they will stage these works concurrently.
“If they completed one of the projects first and then moved on to the next, it would allow locals to travel by the alternate route and get in and out of town much easier.
“Of a morning, and to a lesser extent the afternoons, they are particularly busy intersections, so to add delays at these times will have the traffic backed up for long distances.
“I have raised the matter in the hope one job can be finished before the other is started, and the timeframes are articulated to local residents. At the moment all we know is work will commence on both projects before Christmas. Let’s hope some common sense prevails,” Mr Bull said.
Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, said he had received no explanations for the long delays in delivering the McEacharn Street project.
“The roundabout was fully funded in 2020 under the previous Federal Coalition Government, and we have waited four years because this incompetent State Government hasn’t started work.
“We couldn’t get this Andrews / Allan State Government interested in road safety and dealing with Victorian transport department bureaucrats is a nightmare because none of them actually live in the area and care about the condition of our roads.
“The least they can do now is avoid inconvenience,” Mr Chester said.
Caption: Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, pictured at the McEacharn Street intersection, says to avoid traffic chaos in Bairnsdale, both major road projects should be staged and not undertaken concurrently.
Monday, 14 October 2024
