Bypass eases town traffic

By Melissa Grant
TRAFFIC snarls along the Princes Highway have eased following the opening of the long-awaited Pakenham Bypass on the weekend.
With many motorists opting to use the new freeway, a link between Beaconsfield and Nar Nar Goon free of traffic lights, vehicles are scant on the Princes Highway making travel through the town much easier.
On Saturday people flocked to the site of the $242 million project to celebrate its completion.
Those who attended had the opportunity to walk on a 1.5km stretch of the highway before it opened to traffic.
Inbound lanes were opened to traffic on Saturday night, while those travelling towards Warragul got to use the bypass on Sunday morning.
Cardinia Shire mayor Kate Lempriere said the bypass would be of great benefit to the community who had to endure years of gridlock along the Princes Highway.
“It’s been a nightmare for people going from Warragul to Berwick,” she said.
Cr Lempriere expected the new freeway would result in a huge influx of business and people to the town.
“It’s going to open the floodgates of opportunities in Pakenham,” she said.
Speaking at the community celebration, Victorian Minister for Transport Tim Pallas said the project completed the missing link in the freeway network, connecting Melbourne and the Gippsland region. “The completion of the Pakenham Bypass is exciting news for all Victorians who live and travel in the south-eastern suburbs and areas beyond,” he said.
“The opening of the bypass will provide a huge boost to the mobility of local residents and through traffic.”
Mr Pallas said that with the new freeway route, taking traffic out of the Pakenham township and away from traffic signals, travel times would be reduced by up to 50 per cent between Beaconsfield and Nar Nar Goon.
Police said the Pakenham Bypass had opened incident-free and urged residents to adhere to the restricted speed limit of 80kmh which is expected to be in place until this weekend when the speed limit will be lifted to 100kmh.