By Callum Ludwig
Yarra Ranges Council is advocating for trails and footpaths as part of their State Government Election Advocacy Priorities.
Council want funding for a $21 million program of trail connections, $1.43 million to upgrade three key road crossings along the Warburton Rail Trail and to begin a four-year footpaths construction program
Councillor Andrew Fullagar spoke to the motion and said the trails in Warburton, Yarra Glen and along the ridge Walk are some of their major initiatives.
“Our advocacy is aimed to maximise favourable outcomes during the lead up to the election, focuses and emphasises our key objectives rather than what some governments or candidates would like us to do,” he said.
“We want to secure partnerships that work for us, between counsel and government and influence their decisions into where we’d like to go, having identified the community’s initiatives and wanting to push on with them.”
The footpath program would create 250 projects to construct the ‘missing links’ in the Yarra Ranges. The projects will create better connections to schools, activity centres, community services, public transport, open space and tourism locations.
The trails identified by Yarra Ranges Council that they would like to see funded are: Olinda Creek Trail Extension & York Road Trail, Brushy Creek Trail (missing section), Mooroolbark to Doongalla Reserve (Glasgow Road), Kilsyth Pipe Track Extension, Green Spine Trail Extension, Black Springs Road Trail, Ringwood Lilydale Rail Trail, Chirnside to Wonga Park Trail, Mt Evelyn to Monbulk Trail, Don Road Trail, Little Yarra Trail, Launching Place River Circuit, LWT extension – Warburton to East Warburton & Redwoods, O’Shannassy Trail Connections (Don Road & Yuonga Road), Big Pats Creek – Walk into History Trail, Steels Creek Trail extension to Old Kinglake Road, Maroondah Aqueduct to Sugarloaf Reserve and the Montrose Pipe Track.
To improve safety along the Warburton Trail at the Warburton Highway, Council wants to address areas in the following towns: Wandin North ($780,000), Millgrove ($150,000) and Yarra Junction ($500,000).
A Government spokesperson said safety is their top priority.
“We will continue to work with the Yarra Ranges Council to monitor the road and active transport network to determine where upgrades are needed,” they said.
“We have delivered pedestrian-controlled traffic signals at several points along the Warburton Highway where they are needed most, safely connecting pedestrians and cyclists with the Warburton Rail Trail.”
The Department of Transport has installed warning signs to alert drivers that a crossing linking the trail is approaching in the three locations along Warburton Highway, which are considered low-speed. There are existing pedestrian-operated signals in Millgrove.
In the five years leading up to 31 December 2021, there were no recorded crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists along Warburton Highway at these locations, but future signalised pedestrian crossings along Warburton Highway will be assessed for funding against other priorities across the state.
