Let’s talk roads

ROADS are one of the most common things residents in Armstrong Creek talk to me about.

You want to know what’s happening, who’s responsible, and why work seems never-ending.

Armstrong Creek is one of Victoria’s fastest-growing areas, and a lot of development is underway.

Each year, the City receives more than 500 applications for road works. Most are minor, but in fast-growing suburbs like ours, the upgrades are larger and more disruptive.

Managing this development is a balancing act, and the City of Greater Geelong does not hand out road work approvals easily.

We are bound by the rules of the Road Management Act 2004, and we work hard behind the scenes to mitigate impacts to traffic.

One of our priorities is to avoid multiple key roads being closed simultaneously so emergency vehicles can still reach people quickly.

Last week, we held two community forums at the Biyal-a Armstrong Creek Library to talk openly about these issues.

It was great to see and hear directly from residents. Your questions were thoughtful and led to great discussion.

A key part of the discussion was around who does what when it comes to managing roads.

While Council is responsible for a large network of local streets, we don’t oversee all roads in the region. A number of roads, highways, and bridges are actually managed by the State Government through the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP).

If you’re unsure who manages a particular road, search ‘roads and responsible authorities’ on the Geelong Australia website for more information.

At the forum, another of the big questions was why construction takes so long and a road can’t be fully upgraded in one go. The answer often comes down to funding and things we can’t see.

Most road upgrades are delivered by developers who get the necessary funding from land sales. With development still in full swing, upgrading roads too early often leads to damage from construction traffic and an early rebuild.

We can reduce the amount of roadworks and save public funds by delaying some upgrades until the bulk of construction is finished.

Construction can be slowed by the need to relocate underground services and wait for concrete or crushed rock to dry so it is strong enough to continue building works.

Residents also asked about ongoing closures along Horseshoe Bend Road, the non-operational traffic lights at Horseshoe Bend and Boundary Roads, and the condition of roads affected by heavy construction traffic.

On the traffic signals, our officers explained that the infrastructure is already in place – but Powercor provides a six-month window for power connection. Once that’s complete, DTP can activate the traffic lights.

Projects like the Boundary Road and Barwon Heads Road intersection were another focus. Work has already begun, with signals to be installed soon.

Other upgrades, including Batten Road, Central Boulevard and Burvilles Road, are in the pipeline, though many involve private land, complex coordination with private developers and service relocations.

I want to thank everyone who came along to the forum. It’s never easy balancing the needs of a growing community with the realities of infrastructure planning, but open conversations like this make a real difference.

If you couldn’t make it to the forum and still have questions, head to geelongaustralia.com.au/roads or phone our customer service team on 5272 5272.

Cr Emma Sinclair

Charlemont Ward,

City of Greater Geelong