In response to community concerns regarding impacts on safety and liveability caused by heavy vehicle traffic on Main Street (Murray Valley Highway), Regional Roads Victoria announced their option for an alternative heavy vehicle route through Rutherglen last Wednesday, which has left local residents confounded by the proposal.
“I’m deeply concerned with the planned route. There are a lot of elderly residents on this street and if this goes ahead they’re not even going to be able to cross it,” Reid Street resident Brian Warren said.
“I’d imagine this is the only town in Australia that has a reroute a block from the main street – usually they go around the town.
“This is a disaster waiting to happen.”
The alternative route will allow heavy vehicles travelling on the Murray Valley Highway to use Douglas Street, Reid Street and Scott Street to connect to the existing heavy vehicle route of Rutherglen-Wahgunyah Road and Federation Way then back to the Murray Valley Highway.
The proposal also says in order to “address the community’s concerns regarding safety and liveability” the heavy vehicle alternative route will be in use from 7am to 7pm and Main Street (Murray Valley Highway) will be used by heavy vehicles from 7pm to 7am.
According to Regional Roads Victoria the reroute option was identified through feedback from the community and key stakeholders, as well as their own studies and technical assessments, but according to Mr Warren there was no community consultation.
“We knew nothing about it until a sneaky letter drop in the mail was made yesterday afternoon.
“There was no community consultation or no updates given regarding the decision.”
After receiving a combined $4 million from the state and federal governments in 2017 to complete the project, Regional Roads Victoria conducted an Origin and Destination study which found that most vehicles were utilising Gooramadda Road or Up River Road as an alternative route between Corowa (to the north) and Wodonga (to the east), Wahgunyah Wangaratta Road as an alternative route between Corowa (to the north), Yarrawonga (to the east) and Wangaratta (to the south).
Former Indigo Shire councillor and initiator of the re-route Rutherglen campaign, Roberta Horne said the proposed route is only going to create more issues.
“After waiting for a bypass for at least 50 years Rutherglen residents see this as just moving the problem from one street to another and not overcoming issues for either vehicles or pedestrians,” she said.
“Issues around impeded access to the town’s sporting facilities, Post Office, IGA and private properties along the route particularly for our senior citizens and children are deeply concerning.
“The lack of community consultation and the availability of detailed plans showing how this route will improve the safety and sustainability of the township are also major concerns.”
Residents are encouraged to attend a community meeting which will be held at 7pm this Friday, November 22 at the Barkly Park clubrooms to gauge public opinion on the proposed heavy vehicle deviation.
The organisers are asking attendees to bring a bullet point list stating the personal impact of this news and also what they would like to see happen.
Regional Roads Victoria is currently working through the design process for the heavy vehicle alternative route.
They are welcoming community feedback, along with feedback from other key stakeholders including heavy vehicle operators and Indigo Shire Council, to help them complete the design process and formalise a construction program, with an aim of beginning construction work on the alternative route in early 2020.
If you would like to get in touch with Regional Roads Victoria, enquiries can be sent to ner.enquiries@roads.vic.gov.au
