SIXTEEN houses could be demolished under another controversial proposal to alleviate Bacchus Marsh’s traffic woes.
The Weekly understands VicRoads and the Transport Department yesterday flagged works along Fisken Street as an alternative to the rejected Avenue of Honour plan.
The proposal would see Fisken Street, on the town’s eastern fringes, turned into a truck route, connecting Parwan Road in Maddingley to the Western Highway through Fisken Street and then looping through the south of Crook Street.
Up to 16 houses could be demolished, along with the Avenue Bowling Club, if the plan was approved.
Bacchus Marsh Traders Association president Malcolm Trask said the proposal would upset many people, and such a plan would merely move heavy traffic away from the town’s CBD to the residential edges.
“Woolpack Road would have taken the traffic right out,” he said.
“This is too much of a price to pay. It’s a dress circle area, with many period homes. People living there will have a severe loss of amenity and peace and quiet.”
Mr Trask said eight trees would be lost under the plan. However, they were not commemorative elms.
Moorabool councillor Allan Comrie slammed the proposal. He said the avenue’s popular orchard and fruit trade would fade, as traffic would no longer access the town along the elm-fringed road.
“It’s absolute madness, it doesn’t make any sense, to lose 16-odd homes for five trees, and trucks will still run through a residential area.”
Planning Minister Matthew Guy last month rejected a VicRoads and council-endorsed plan to remove five Dutch elms and build a roundabout linking Woolpack Road to the Western Highway.
As reported by the Weekly, the Fisken Street alternative was initially raised at a Heritage Victoria meeting last June.
Avenue of Honour Preservation Group president Damian Strangio doesn’t support the plan.
“I haven’t heard anyone on either side seriously support this alternative, but there is a pressing need to sort out our local traffic problems.”
Mayor Pat Griffin last week renewed his call for the government to urgently propose an alternative north-south bypass at the eastern end of Bacchus Marsh.
He said federal government representatives suggested that if an alternative was not found soon the federal component of $30 million funding could be allocated to other projects.
