By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

THE community is still waiting on answers for when the Traralgon bypass will be fast-tracked and completed.

Both local council and government ministers have asked the question and sought support to ensure the long-awaited project is brought forward, making certain a safe and efficient road network is finalised through and out of the major town.

A petition was started in October by Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester and Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron calling for both the federal and state government to accelerate the project.

The aim is to divert heavy vehicles and through traffic away from the increasingly busy town centre and to decrease traffic jams and improve driver welfare on the Traralgon section of the Princes Highway.

“With 15 intersections involving roundabouts and traffic lights, it now takes at least 15-20 minutes (to) get through town and that can be much worse on long weekends and school holidays,” Mr Chester said.

“Providing a Traralgon bypass would reduce congestion, improve safety and productivity, increase liveability for locals and boost the visitor economy in Gippsland (and) would create jobs during the major construction phase.

“There are well recognised social, economic and environmental benefits to be achieved in delivering this road transport project as a matter of urgency.”

Following VicRoads’ extensive groundworks which included tabling road designs and analysing different aspects along the Princes Highway in the 2000s, the Traralgon Bypass Project was included in the Latrobe Planning Scheme in 2009.

The state government (then Andrews government) initially announced a $1.4 million commitment for the planning of the bypass in 2017 and later a $2.9m investment to upgrade the Bank Street-Princes Highway intersection – which is still yet to come to fruition.

Road upgrades were completed and traffic signal poles were fixed a few years ago, but traffic lights are yet to be installed for an area that has reportedly seen many near misses and collisions according to locals over the years, especially when attempting to cross-over lanes when exiting Bank St or over the other side at the Traralgon Golf Club.

Chair of RoadSafe Gippsland Andy Milbourne, who is also an active member and volunteer of the Traralgon Golf Club, called the problematic intersection a “white elephant”.

“I’ve been working with them (different government sectors) for a long, long time and I keep getting different answers, so it’s absolutely frustrating to the nth degree that these traffic lights, they’re installed but they haven’t been set up and the lanterns connected to make it, that intersection, safer,” he told the Express.

“We’ve seen far too many crashes happen there and it’s only a matter of time before, unfortunately, somebody’s going to get seriously hurt – and then who’s going to take the responsibility for that?”

Mr Milbourne successfully lobbied to reduce the speed limit along that strip of the highway down to 60km/h, but said the intersection needs to be prioritised.

“It’s about time the government departments all got together, started working with each other and fix this thing once and for all,” he added.

As for the prospects of the Traralgon Bypass Project in its entirety, Mr Milbourne wasn’t holding out hope.

“That’s been on the cards for many years, and I reckon I’ll be dead before that actually comes to fruition,” he said.

Traralgon Golf Club President Ross Chapman also shared his dismay regarding the time it’s taken for the intersection’s installations.

“It’s disappointing it’s taken so long … the idea is fantastic, but it’s just taken far too long,” he said.

“There’s usually cars waiting to turn right into Bank St and it can take considerable time to get across if you’re trying to turn right.” The completion of the Gippsland Line in August now means that the Department of Transport can move forward with the Bank St-Princes Highway intersection plans to interlink the signalling system with the railway crossing.

This is said to be complete around mid-2026.

Latrobe City Council has been advocating for government funding for the Traralgon bypass for many years, with the latest attempt coming in July calling for the federal and state government to partner with council to delivering the project.

“Council continues to seek regular updates from the Department of Transport to understand anticipated timelines for the completion of these critical safety upgrades,” a council spokesperson told the Express.

“Speedy finalisation of this project is especially important given that the Department has not progressed planning or the delivery of the Traralgon Bypass Project, which is widely recognised as Gippsland’s most strategically significant road project.

“Delivering these road safety improvements is essential to supporting safe travel for our community and visitors, as well as accommodating the increasing development activity across our city.”

The project’s slow movement is due to its implications for the Loy Yang mine’s rehabilitation efforts due to bypass’ proximity.

In council’s advocacy proposal, it contended that with Loy Yang’s closure confirmed for 2035 that the bypass project now be prioritised.

Mr Chester said that the Coalition promised $5m to assist the design works of the project before the election, which the federal government has not matched.

The Department of Transport were contacted for comment, but did not provide one before the Express’ deadline.