Major works start on Drysdale Bypass

THE first sod was officially turned on the $117 million Drysdale Bypass project earlier this week.

Bellarine MP Lisa Neville, joined by representatives of construction company Decmil and the Major Road Projects Authority, kicked off construction near Grubb Road and Portarlington Road on Monday.

Decmil is now on site and has started works on the project following the contract being awarded at the end of August.

Ms Neville said the new bypass would improve safety and ease congestion by 40 per cent through the heart of town – diverting trucks and traffic onto this more efficient route.

She said more than 11 per cent of the 20,000 vehicles which travel through Drysdale each day were made up of heavy vehicles – that figure is expected to be cut in half when the new bypass is open.

Ms Neville said that meant hundreds of trucks would be taken off local roads, making it safer for local drivers, pedestrians and cyclists around Drysdale.

“The bypass will give the local town back to the community and local roads back to local drivers by taking hundreds of trucks and heavy traffic off busy High Street.”

The bypass will also relieve traffic during the busy summer period, when more than 5,000 extra vehicles pass through Drysdale each day.

As part of the project, the existing roundabout at Grubb Road and Portarlington Road will be replaced with traffic lights, improving traffic flow and safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

There will also be improved access to schools, sports precincts and growing residential communities through a new six kilometre shared user path, which includes an underpass for pedestrians and students at Peninsula Drive.

Construction is now under way with completion of the new bypass expected in mid-2020.