Bypass petitions

By Kath Gannaway
TWO PETITIONS sent to the Minister for Roads are calling for a review of the Yarra Glen Bypass.
Halina Adams, the owner of the land which is to be acquired for the bypass project presented Minister Tim Pallas’s office with a petition signed by 300 people asking that the Minister intervene to allow consideration to be given for the bypass to follow an alternative route on the boundary of Ms Adams’ property.
Ms Adams says the current proposal will dissect prime farming land, making her cattle breeding operation unworkable.
The other petition, signed by a number of Yarra Glen main street business operators, calls for the dumping of the project with a number of businesspeople expressing concern about the impact of removing trucks and other through traffic would have on the businesses. VicRoads have countered criticism voiced in a number of the petition comments that there was no consultation with business operators, saying there were letter drops in Bell Street and mail-outs to relevant interest groups in June.
Information update flyers were distributed in August 2008.
A number of Bell Street businesses told the Mail they were visited by VicRoads personnel who provided information on the proposed bypass project.
VicRoads project director Frank De Santis said there would be further information displays and opportunities for public comment on the proposed plans for the bypass project, which would be available late this year or early in the new year.
“Project communications efforts thus far have been focussed on keeping the public informed about the progress of the project.
“In the meantime, while we’re in the planning and design stages of the project, we have also taken the opportunity of inviting the public to share any views they may have about the project with us,” Mr De Santis said.
“This will help us deliver a better outcome on the bypass project,” he said.
He said VicRoads had also taken steps in reaching out to local interest groups and other stakeholders about the project.
Meanwhile the Yarra Glen Township Group is standing by the project.
Chairman Malcolm Calder said a meeting of the group took into account there had been a long-standing overlay of the bypass for Yarra Glen which followed the proposed route.
“We decided there had been an extensive process of discussion and community involvement over five alternative routes which had been discussed by VicRoads at various community discussions and a general meeting.
“We feel therefore that the proposal has been on the cards for a long time and has been a very thought out process.”
Mr Calder said the Township Group would be taking a particular interest in the design of the roundabout at the southern end of Bell Street.
The aim would be to make it aesthetically as pleasant as possible and with particular emphasis on the way in which it would encourage heavy traffic to move through the new alignment.
“Our aim is to remove as much heavy traffic from Bell Street as possible to improve the pedestrian convenience and safety and the aesthetics of the town,” he said.