Moorabool Shire council is “banging on doors” in search of $38 million promised by the previous state government and VicRoads to start vital traffic works in Bacchus Marsh.
Chief executive Rob Croxford said the funding was a vital part of the Bacchus Marsh project and was needed to get road works started immediately.
“There’s been a lot of push-back from the community saying the traffic problem in Bacchus Marsh is not acceptable and hasn’t been for some time,” he said.
“We’ve been pushing very hard behind the scenes.”
Mr Croxford said it had been over a year since the previous state government and VicRoads announced $38 million in funding for works to ease traffic congestion, improve safety and reduce travel times in Bacchus Marsh.
Works announced include construction of east-facing ramps and a dedicated pedestrian bridge at Halletts Way; an upgrade of Hopetoun Park Road to improve access to the Western Freeway; and an upgrade to the off-ramp at the Bacchus Marsh Road east exit.
“It’s a really difficult situation … someone has to give us something to provide a solution,” Mr Croxford said.
“Somewhere there was $38 million. We’re asking politicians what happened.”
Shadow minister for roads and infrastructure Ryan Smith said that under the previous state government VicRoads was planning to start on the Halletts Way interchange in mid-2015 and work had already begun on Anthonys Cutting.
“The Andrews government needs to stop making excuses and get on with construction of the ramps at Halletts Way,” Mr Smith
said. “Federal funding is not required for this project; the Andrews government must come clean on what it has done with the savings from the Western Highway Anthonys Cutting project.”
VicRoads’ Trevor Boyd said stage one of the Bacchus Marsh traffic improvements package was complete and investigations were under way for funding for stages two and three.
The office of Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan was contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline.
