Design stalemate

By Kath Gannaway
THE Yarra Glen and District Township Group is backing residents in demanding a re-design of the roundabout at the Healesville-Yarra Glen Road/Bell Street/King Street intersection.
The roundabout is one of three to be built as part of the long-awaited Yarra Glen Truck Bypass project currently under construction.
Residents of King Street and nearby residential roads say the proposed roundabout is poorly designed.
They are concerned it will push traffic into residential streets, behind the town and create safety problems in Bell Street. They are also concerned with restricted access to the highway from King Street.
A meeting of the YGDTG last week, attracted an additional 19 concerned residents.
The group resolved to ask the Shire of Yarra Ranges to call a public meeting with VicRoads in Yarra Glen. They want VicRoads to explain how it can redesign the roundabout so that it meets the needs identified by the group as the primary purposes of the Bypass.
YGDTG chairman Malcolm Calder said the purposes were to reduce heavy traffic along Bell Street, improve traffic flow through and around Yarra Glen with free entry and exit from King Street, and to keep heavy traffic out of residential streets.
He said the current ‘preliminary design’ would not achieve these purposes.
A number of local residents have written to the Mail stating the proposed design was unacceptable.
However, the Yarra Glen Chamber of Commerce has a different view.
Spokesperson Chris Lamacraft said the chamber had been involved in discussions with VicRoads, alongside the YGDTG.
“Having spoken to VicRoads and listened to their engineers, we have accepted the design as the only way it can work because of the design criteria and the national standards they have to comply to,” he said.
“We have exhausted every avenue with the design and discussion and it is going to go ahead that way because there is no alternative,” he said.
VicRoads project director Frank De Santis told the Mail the roundabouts had been positioned to facilitate safe turning movements so trucks would choose to use the bypass rather than Bell Street.
“Smaller vehicles needing to travel back towards Melbourne can use any of the local roads between Bell Street and Yarraview Road to turn right onto Bell Street. Drivers can also safely make a U-turn by turning right into the service lane located along Bell Street,” Mr De Santis said.
“VicRoads has consulted with residents through information sessions, door-knocks, letter-drops and numerous meetings with the Yarra Glen Township Group, Yarra Glen Chamber of Commerce and Shire of Yarra Ranges.
“We are currently assessing community feedback in relation to the proposed access changes at King Street and will continue to work closely with the Shire of Yarra Ranges,” Mr De Santis said.
Mr Calder said the Township Group was committed to working with the shire and VicRoads to solve the problem and achieve a good outcome.