Dividing line: Developer slams council’s roadblocks between Torquay North estates

THE developer of The Quay and Quay 2 has slammed the Surf Coast Shire council’s decision to close roads connecting the two Torquay North estates for the better part of a year, describing it as a “huge kneejerk reaction”.
On Monday this week, the shire set up barriers to close Glengarry, Inshore, Marine and Centreside drives to vehicle traffic at the junction of The Quay and Quay 2 estates.
Last week, Cr Brian McKiterick said the closures would temporarily re-create traffic conditions for residents in the original Quay development in place before the Quay 2 development started.
The council will leave the barriers in place until the traffic lights at the new intersection of Surf Coast Highway, Coombes Road and Rosser Boulevard are completed in late 2021.
The closures come about six weeks after the council received a petition from some community members urging the intersection to be postponed until Inshore Drive was fully extended from Fischer Street, as (according to the petition) “local streets will become dangerous ‘rat runs’ for our kids and families getting to and from parks, schools and shops”.
“While these temporary measures are in place, Quay 2 residents and construction traffic will continue to access their estate through roads leading to and from Merrijig Drive,” Cr McKiterick said.
“Motorists in the north of Torquay might notice a minor increase in traffic on Merrijig Drive, which we know is a well-used route, but Council feels it is important to ensure existing Quay residents aren’t impacted while the new intersection is under construction.
“Council and Regional Roads Victoria are working with the developer to progress the intersection project as quickly as possible.”
As previously reported by this newspaper, Intrapac and the council are at odds over the delivery of the new intersection.
The developer says the council has repeatedly changed its stance about who would build the project, and the resulting delays have pushed the intersection’s completion back by 18 months.
“It appears the council is blaming that intersection not being built for some increases in traffic volumes going from Quay 2 into The Quay,” Intrapac chief operating officer Maxwell Shifman said on Monday this week.
“It’s a huge kneejerk reaction and unnecessary.
“If it wasn’t for their intervention with us and stopping us from getting approval from Regional Roads Victoria, we would have had that intersection built by the end of last year.”
He said The Quay and Quay 2 were designed as one cohesive development, with long streets connecting the two, but Intrapac has no control over the roads of the estates once they were complete.