New name for part of Portarlington Road

A SECTION of Portarlington Road will be renamed as a result of changes triggered by the construction of the $117 million Drysdale Bypass.
The northern stretch of the road, between Oakden and Whitcombes roads in Drysdale will become Collins Street, following the City of Greater Geelong council’s community consultation process in September and October 2019. The renaming extends the existing Collins Street through to the Drysdale bypass.
Bellarine Ward councillor Jim Mason said the process had been an unfortunate inconvenience as part of the project and thanked affected residents for their understanding.
“Through the dedicated work of city staff, we went through a careful consultative process and we were able to accommodate majority opinions and local heritage.
“We’re getting very close to the opening of the Drysdale Bypass and I’m looking forward to the benefits, including more efficient travel along the Bellarine Peninsula, the new shared path and fewer trucks on High Street.’’
Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher said the city had a responsibility to its community to ensure that all properties could be identified clearly for emergency services and for visitors.
Delivered by Major Road Projects Victoria, the 6km bypass between Jetty Road and Whitcombes Road aims to improve safety and ease congestion on the Bellarine Peninsula, with an expected completion date in the middle of this year. Construction includes a rail overpass, shared walking a cycling paths and an underpass to create safer access to Drysdale’s schools.