It’s been more than a year since a $150,000 feasibility study into upgrading Yankee Flat Road was announced by the state government, to investigate linking the Midland Highway and Western Freeway, and replace the road through Buninyong. 

Though the findings of the study were meant to be released mid-2018, it’s been all quiet on the eastern front. 

Buninyong residents now fear by not having the results of the study before the election, they won’t be able to get the wheels of political momentum moving on the need for a bypass. 

“Buninyong is developing, and we’re trying to retain the village atmosphere. It’s a very close little community,” said Robert Elshaug from the Buninyong & District Community Association. 

“But it splits our community in half. A highway like that, access across the road for school kids and elderly people is not fun. The amount of truck traffic on it is quite surprising. 

“We’d like to know what [the report] has got in it, in the approach to the election, so we’ve got some information we can fight for.

“We’re very disappointed … it’s frustrating.”

Regional Roads Victoria’s western region director Mal Kersting said his organisation was now “reviewing the draft of the feasibility study” into reducing the impacts of heavy vehicle traffic in Buninyong and south eastern Ballarat.

“The report contains a number of options for increasing safety within the local community, and we’ll investigate these options as part of our review,” he said. 

The Imagine Buninyong report, compiled by the township’s community in 2017, found the Buninyong bypass was the number one priority for the future. 

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan said the state government had funded the study because Buninyong residents are “concerned about traffic in their community”.

“Once we receive the results of the study, we’ll consider all the options and work with Regional Roads Victoria to find an appropriate solution,” he said.