The matter was brought up at last Tuesday’s monthly council meeting after the DoT put forward a proposal regard to the Rutherglen Heavy Vehicle Alternate Route.
It was recommended that council notes that safety improvements could be achieved through the DoT’s proposed traffic calming works and streetscape improvements in Main Street including intersection improvements at Federation Way and Murray Valley Highway, the removal of up to 12 parking to bays and the narrowing of lanes on Main St from 3.5m to 3.2m.
Cr Sophie Price said proposals should not be put to council until the Rutherglen community is consulted
“With every proposal that we have had from Regional Roads Victoria, that has always been our line of questioning- what consultation have you done with the community?” Cr Price said.
“We have not had any satisfactory outcomes, but some of us would suggest that there never has never been a satisfactory proposal put forward yet.”
Cr Diane Shepheard said it was not council who needed to be convinced of the plans.
“In the three days…that this has been in the agenda… we’ve had 40 or more emails speaking against this motion and I can understand why. They don’t feel as though they’ve had any input into it,” she said.
Cr Roberta Horne blasted Regional Roads Victoria (RRV)
“After a six year wait and the sound rejection of the last RRV plan, the community is justified in feeling they have not been listened to,” Cr Horne said.
“This discussion is not about taking car parks out of Main Street Rutherglen. It’s not about cars and it’s not about trucks and the issue is not contained within the town’s boundaries.
“It is, and always has been, about the safety of the people of Rutherglen and the sustainability of its business community.
“The road through Rutherglen was designed for horses and carts, yet the road network to the east now accommodates the world’s 11th largest inland port, a BP Fatigue Management Centre capable of catering for 45 B Double trucks, the state’s largest livestock exchange, and access to a major rail head.
“The nearby towns of Barnawartha and Chiltern also endure heavy vehicle traffic as the Logic Distribution Centre is capable of servicing 75 per cent of Australian road freight traffic within 24 hours.”
Cr Horne said the people of Rutherglen should be commended for their patience and persistence over the last five decades.
“Their tolerance is running out,” she said.
“A community-led initiative called the Re Route Rutherglen campaign developed a new concept to ease the traffic in Main Street by suggesting the creation of a Heavy Vehicle Alternate route in the hope of avoiding tragedy while waiting for a Bypass to be built.
“Not only did they identify a possible solution, but they also worked hard to draw the attention of the media which in turn helped attract an election promise of $4m of State and Federal funding.
“It is hard to understand why we have been denied safety mechanisms such as a push-button pedestrian crossing – especially as we have flashing 70km signs only a few kilometres further up the Murray Valley Highway. Safety must trump considerations of the historic context of the town.
“Our one-dimensional speed humps, inadequate signage and road markings do nothing to improve safety for pedestrians or vehicles. In fact, there are fast food outlets with far better traffic management than us.
“I think it’s outrageous that recent advice from RRV personnel that the $100+ million slated in the ‘Delivering the Goods’ report of 2018 for the Rutherglen Heavy Vehicle Route was in fact our $4m – really - a $96m mistake!”
Indigo Shire Council Mayor Bernard Gaffney said the submissions received had been considered and put to RRV.
“It is their road and their street. It is not a street under the guidance or owned by Indigo Shire.”
