Congestion, access to public transport and access to residents’ properties have been highlighted by community members and stakeholders as priorities for the state government’s proposed Napier Street upgrade.
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Improved cycling and walking opportunities were also highlighted in the VicRoads consultation report, released by Public Transport Minister and Bendigo East MP Jacinta Allan on Tuesday.
Napier Street resident Margaret Jones said the number one issue with the current stretch of road was congestion.
“Just to get the traffic moving because it can really bank up,” she said.
The state government has so far committed $600,000 to the project which will include the addition of an extra lane on either side of the street between Weeroona Avenue and Scott Street.
Ms Allan said Napier Street serviced one of the fastest growing regional areas in Australia and carried 20,000 vehicles each day.
“Napier Street needs a significant upgrade because of the significant volume of traffic that it carries,” she said.
Ms Allan said she was confident the finished product would be worth any disruptions caused to nearby residents.
“There’s a big job there to make sure local residents are well informed of disruptions, but also I think people will understand that during that period of disruption the end result will be a vastly improved road that will make it a better road and also a much safer one,” she said.
VicRoads operations manager David Runnalls said the challenge now was to incorporate the needs of residents, businesses, schools and other traffic.
“It’s a challenge but an exciting one for us and we’re hoping in the next month to come back to the community to say here’s some ideas we have,” he said.
To view the report visit www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/planning-and-projects/regional-road-projects/napier-street-upgrade-bendigo