THE final stage of roadworks along Geelong Road will be completed by the end of the year.
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VicRoads Western Victoria regional director Ewen Nevett said about $7 million had been spent on the project as a whole, with the last stage – out the front of Damascus College – costing $4.5 million.
“We all know the traffic has been increasing over the last couple of years and we all know travel times have been increasing and safety has become a bit of a concern so there has been a lot of work to separate traffic at intersections and to separate the through traffic and turning traffic,” he said.
“The last section of work out the front of Damascus College is under way and due to be finished by the end of the year, so it has taken about two or three years to do the work, but we have done our best to minimise the impact to traffic.”
Bike lanes have also been added to the road to improve safety.
“My understanding is, in particular the roundabout in Mount Clear which is where most of the congestion was particularly around the drop-off and pick-up times of school children, the evidence we have had so far is that that is working really well,” Mr Nevett said.
“We know the traffic will continue to increase along Geelong Road.
“This work will certainly go a long way to alleviating the problem we have had over the past few years. As time will go on, traffic will increase and more work may need to be done.”
The congestion has led to many drivers using Yankee Flat Road as a bypass through the area.
Western Victoria MP Simon Ramsay congratulated VicRoads on the project in particular noting the work to cause the smallest amount of problems possible for residents.
Mr Ramsay said he expected an additional lane and traffic signals would be completed at Olympic Avenue by October.
matthew.dixon@fairfaxmedia.com.au