Liam McNally
A new plan to upgrade Troups Road South has been committed to by Melton council, following its last plan being rejected by Melbourne Water.
Troups Road South is an unsealed road located in Mount Cottrell on the border of the Melton and Wyndham municipalities, that residents have been calling on council to fix for a number of years.
In the past year, the council has completed two intersection upgrades on the road, but sealing the road stalled due Melbourne Water rejecting the plan, which the council website said was due to a minor increase in the potential flood impact on some adjoining properties.
At a council meeting on Monday, November 27, the council decided on a new plan to seal and stabilise the stretch between Boundary and Greigs roads the next 18 months.
The southern end of the road will remain closed while this process takes place.
The heavy stabilisation and spray seal will include road widening and is expected to cost $4.5 million and have a life expectancy of five to 10 years.
Troups Road South resident Michelle Spiteri said residents are happy for progress but are sceptical due to previous delays.
“We’ve been through this process already… it’s just a stabilisation and seal… they are going to need to be maintained but it’s better than the dust and the mud and the highly unsafe conditions we have now,” she said.
“It’s encouraging that things are moving but the construction of Troups Road South is 10 years too late.
“These [surrounding] developments should not have been given the green light without proper road access… people are driving on goat tracks in the fastest municipality in all of Australia.”
Ms Spiteri said there have already been fatalities on the road and hopes it won’t be too little, too late.
“Everything around me has changed in 32 years [of living here] except for the road,” she said.
“It’s about a safe traffic network. If our cars have to be road worthy our roads should have to be car worthy.”
