Geelong’s newly-elected council faces calls to fix several local roads in “terrible condition” or overwhelmed by traffic from new developments.
Independent readers named multiple roads desperately needing attention after Waurn Ponds resident Ross Carlson last week raised fears of thousands of cars inundating Ghazeepore Road due to current and newly-approved developments.
Ratepayers Geelong president Peter Mitchell echoed the readers’ concerns, saying council needed to plan better for growth areas across the city.
“They seem to update the roads after people move in,” he said.
“If they know people are moving in, they should be updated beforehand.”
Council and developers seemed to look at new estates in isolation, resulting in unintentional increased traffic turning narrow roads like Ghazeepore into busy thoroughfares, he said.
“There’s a lot of places where VicRoads and council don’t require [upgrades] and the developer won’t do it because it will cost them money.
“Developers think about the roads that go through their developments and even the ones that hit them, but they often don’t think of where else the traffic is going.
“A developer cares about their patch of land, it’s up to council to think about how it connects to the whole.”
Lara readers described Forest Road and the intersection of Flinders and Station Lake roads as “horrendous”.
“Lara is growing and the roads aren’t keeping track with it,” Mr Mitchell said.
Reserve Road, Marshall, which also connects growth areas with Geelong, was in “terrible condition”, according to one reader.
“Hurry up and put in the lights at the intersection with Surf Coast Highway too, before someone dies,” they posted.
Mr Mitchell also echoed readers’ concern over the condition of Fellmongers Road, Breakwater, which he said was struggling with increased truck traffic, like Ryrie Street in central Geelong.
But he welcomed Regional Roads Victoria’s current project to widen and increase the safety of Fyansford-Gheringhap Road, which he said would benefit new residents in nearby growth areas.
Meanwhile, the state government yesterday announced that $9.6 million of upgrades to Princes Freeway and the Geelong Ring Road would commence next Monday.
Under the program workers will re-asphalt 14 kilometres of various sections between Waurn Ponds and Little River, overnight from Sundays to Thursdays.
