City of Ballarat and VicRoads have commissioned a review into the Ballarat Road Transportation Strategy.
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The strategy, formed in 2007, documents a list of future needs to ensure Ballarat’s road network will be able to service a rapidly growing population.
It includes a prioritised list of projects to be rolled out depending on the greatest need.
Council has fully delivered only two of the highest priority projects from the current document, successfully implementing interim intersection improvements to the Learmonth Street and Avenue of Honour intersection (through a roundabout), as well as increasing the load limit on McKenzie Drive to allow heavy vehicles such as B-doubles access to the Ring Road.
City of Ballarat Director Infrastructure and Environment director Terry Demeo said significant growth in Ballarat’s west combined with the changing status of certain projects has led to the review.
“Most council strategies are reviewed every 5-10 years,” he said.
“It’s appropriate for the strategy to be reviewed now given the rapid growth in Ballarat west and the fact a number of high priority projects are underway or have been delivered.”
Mr Demeo confirmed four other high priority projects other than the Learmonth Street/Avenue of Honour and McKenzie Drive initiatives were either underway or in planning.
He said planning on the CBA street network upgrade had commenced with VicRoads, while the Main Road/Geelong Road upgrade has been partially delivered.
The review process includes a community consultation phase, with consultation sessions to be held from December 8-10.
Residents, rate payers and stakeholders are invited to partake in the sessions.
Earlier this year, long-standing development talks for Sturt and Mair between council and VicRoads resumed, with a significant consultation process undertaken to determine possible options to improve congestion and parking.