By Romy Stephens
The State Government is facing continued pressure to conduct more community consultation for upgrades along the Maroondah Highway.
Eildon MP Cindy McLeish raised the issue in parliament in March, while former Healesville SES member and Marysville resident Dr David Barton wrote to the Roads Minister in July.
Dr Barton said he found it “incomprehensible” that the decision to reduce the speed limit from 100km/hr to 80km/hr had been made.
“I have regularly travelled along this highway for over 30 years,” he said.
“The majority of crashes that have occurred on this stretch of highway are because of the poor road design and construction. As a previous member of the Healesville SES I am aware of the many tragedies that have occurred along this stretch of road.
“The speed limit reduction will now add unnecessary and unwarranted delays to travel, especially for daily commuters, and cause motorists a good deal of frustration and anxiety.”
Ms McLeish received a response to her concerns from the Roads Minister Ben Carroll in late August.
She said VicRoads had failed to address the backlash from the community after announcing plans to reduce the speed limit.
“The road upgrade has been a public ongoing issue and it is disappointing the minister has took so long to address it.” Ms McLeish said.
“VicRoads missed multiple opportunities to discuss planned changes with the surrounding community. Consultation that took place early this year regarding the Black Spur would have been the perfect time to discuss planned works.
“There has been limited communication and the situation has gone from bad to worse. Now, in the midst of Covid-19, consultation will be even more difficult.”
Ms McLeish added that postponing the project had only aggravated locals more, with roadworks operating on nearby Canterbury Road and Mount Dandenong Tourist Road despite the wet and cold conditions.
“It is simply not good enough. People in the Yarra Valley are being ignored,” Ms McLeish said.
The Star Mail understands the response was delayed due to a changeover of the Roads Minister position earlier this year.
In his response to Ms McLeish, Mr Carroll said the Department of Transport had undertaken targeted engagement and the road was identified as high-risk.
He also said he understood the community’s frustration that works were taking longer than anticipated.
“The Department of Transport has worked closely with emergency services, local council, businesses and resident groups from early 2019 to help shape final designs for the project, including a safer speed limit of 80km/h,” Mr Carroll said.
“Unseasonably high rainfall and wet conditions over summer and autumn impacted the construction schedule, but when the weather improves in late spring vital works will continue.”
But Dr Barton said he hadn’t witnessed any community consultation in Marysville, something that other residents in towns such as Healesville had also expressed concern about.
“I can tell you that there certainly was not any consultation up here at all – certainly none that I or anyone else ever heard about,” he said.
“The increased travel time and increased frustration will affect all of the people in Healesville, Narbethong, Marysville, Buxton, Taggerty, Thornton, Eildon, Alexandra and beyond. Don’t we count?”
