Liam McNally
Moorabool mayor Rod Ward has expressed frustration at the state government over “continued delays” in announcing the preferred route for the Eastern Link Road in Bacchus Marsh.
Work on the Bacchus Marsh Eastern Link Road planning study started in May 2017. The road, if built, would divert heavy vehicles and through-traffic from the centre of town to ease congestion and improve safety.
The state government was due to announce a preferred option in early 2023 but this has not yet been released.
Cr Ward said the delays were becoming “more and more frustrating”.
“Council first identified the need for an eastern link in the late 1990s,” he said.
“Following the decision by the state government not to proceed with the proposed Woolpack Road option in 2010, the residents of Bacchus Marsh have been waiting patiently for an alternate route to be identified.
“Regional Roads Victoria have done planning studies and identified options but nothing has been announced.”
When council first proposed the need for an alternative route through Bacchus Marsh, it was hoping to remove large trucks from the town centre, reduce traffic congestion, improve road safety including on on The Avenue and the Western Highway, improve access for visitors and connect with a future arterial road network.
Cr Ward said with Bacchus Marsh growing so rapidly, all these reasons were still valid, but were now amplified as traffic in the town is “busier than ever”.
“We’re calling on Regional Roads Victoria to release the preferred route, which should have happened months ago, so we can get closer to actually making the eastern link a reality,” he said.
A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said the government is completing a range of complex studies as planning for the Bacchus Marsh Eastern Link Road continues.
“These studies are helping to determine a preferred alignment for a proposed eastern link, which we look forward to sharing with the community in the near future,” the spokesperson said.
