MONEY from last week\u2019s 2021-22 State Budget will help move the long-awaited missing link of the Geelong Ring Road forward.<\/p>\n
The Bellarine Link will stretch generally south-west from Portarlington Road and then the Bellarine Highway to the Surf Coast Highway at Grovedale.<\/p>\n
The $2.571 million in the budget will support planning and development work for the project, which will be the Geelong Ring Road\u2019s fifth and final stage.<\/p>\n
The Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) website notes the Bellarine Link was transferred from Regional Road Victoria (RRV) to MRPV in early 2019 to continue planning and investigations.<\/p>\n
MRPV is reviewing the technical studies and designs developed by RRV, including RRV\u2019s preferred alignment chosen in late 2017.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will make every effort during our investigations to ensure our design minimises impacts on private land and sensitive environmental areas,\u201d the website states.<\/p>\n
A map on the website shows a proposed alignment for the road, but both MRPV and South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman have stressed the route shown is not final and is subject to change.<\/p>\n
From the west, the proposed alignment starts at the intersection of Surf Coast Highway and Baanip Boulevard, with the proposed interchange to include on-ramps and off-ramps, and has three major intersections at Drews Road, Barwon Heads Road and Gateway Avenue before it crosses the Barwon River via a bridge.<\/p>\n
The Bellarine Link then curves towards major intersections at Woods Road\/Wellington Street in St Albans Park, Townsend Road\/Highcliff Street, the Bellarine Highway at Moolap Station Road, and Portarlington Road west of Caledonia Street.<\/p>\n
Mr Cheeseman said the first section of road to be built would be between Surf Coast Highway and Barwon Heads Road.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Bellarine Link has been on the table for a long time, and that\u2019s (the map) just one of a number of options that are viable and being investigated,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the planning process will look at all the various options that are available and I imagine determine which is the most likely of those routes.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, the particular area of importance early on is the part between the Surf Coast Highway and Barwon Heads Road, and then beyond that, ultimately all the way to the Bellarine; that\u2019s another major piece of work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe funding is to start that planning process, to identify what are the options in a more detailed way. They\u2019re big projects, they\u2019re important, and these planning processes just take time and cost money.\u201d<\/p>\n
MRPV director of program services and engineering Alexis Davison said the Bellarine Link would provide \u201ca key east-west connection across Greater Geelong, helping to improve safety, reduce congestion and ensure the road network keeps pace with future growth in the area\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cPreliminary design and development work is currently underway, with significant technical and environmental studies required before a final alignment can be confirmed for the corridor,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MONEY from last week\u2019s 2021-22 State Budget will help move the long-awaited missing link of the Geelong Ring Road forward. The Bellarine Link will stretch generally south-west from Portarlington Road and then the Bellarine Highway to the Surf Coast Highway at Grovedale. The $2.571 million in the budget will support planning and development work for […]<\/p>\n