Borough’s disinterest for Bay bridge idea

A REVIVED call for a road link across Port Phillip Bay has received a muted response from the Borough of Queenscliffe, which says the project is not on its radar.

Mornington Peninsula mayor Steve Holland made headlines earlier this month on Melbourne radio when he tabled an idea for a tunnel or bridge link that would connect his municipality to the Bellarine Peninsula across the bay.

Cr Holland’s tongue-in-cheek suggestion, which included a diagram drawn on a napkin and apocryphal costing of around $20 billion, said a link would improve traffic congestion in the holiday destinations especially around summer and boost tourism on both sides of the bay.

“When Sydney Harbour Bridge was built… the ferry operators were very opposed to that.

“Why do we need the link? The sheer number of people that like to cross from one side of the peninsula to the other side.

“Come summer, the traffic is incredible for ferries but also traffic banked back on both sides.

“I think you’d probably find that other people would start using it – build it and they’ll come.”

But Cr Holland’s enthusiasm wasn’t matched on the opposite peninsula, with Borough mayor Isabelle Tolhurst indicating the idea had limited community support and benefits to justify its likely exorbitant cost.

“Council is not considering this costly piece of infrastructure, and there is no indication that congestion caused at busy periods is best mitigated in this way,” Cr Tolhurst said.

“This concept does not have significant support in Mornington, nor in the borough, but if it becomes an issue of significance for the community, the council will certainly engage in the conversation.”

An idea to link the two popular holiday destinations by road is believed to date back to around the 1950s and has appeared intermittently since – though it has failed to attract serious support from decision-makers.