By Matthew Sims
Slower journeys through Officer and a drop in business for businesses along Princes Highway have come to an end after more than a year of roadworks.
Traffic lights have finally been switched on at the Bayview Road intersection and the intersection with Tivendale Road now complete.
The Gazette spoke to former Cardinia Council mayor Jack Kowarzik and general manager of infrastructure and environment Peter Benazic in mid-May, with Cr Kowarzik reassuring the community works were expected to be finished in the next four to six weeks, albeit weather dependent.
However, the road works were then delayed with completion in late September.
Night works were scheduled at the Tivendale Road intersection from Monday 16 September to Thursday 19 September, but were rescheduled to the following weekend and week due to weather.
The intersection upgrade included additional lanes in Tivendale Road, additional Princes Highway through lanes, an upgraded left-hand slip lane into Station Street, a westbound bus priority lane, cyclist and pedestrian facilities, improved drainage and landscaping.
Costing $36 million, the Princes Highway intersection program aims to deliver eight major intersection upgrades from 2020 to 2029, with $17.8 million from the Federal Government’s Urban Congestion Fund and an $18.3 million commitment from Cardinia Council via its Developer Contribution Plan.
The works have not come without consequences to local businesses, with the Gazette first speaking to the owners of Soulfoods Cafe Shane Baker and Judith Phillips last August about how they were struggling to sell four coffees every morning due to the dwindling foot traffic, cutting their customer base by 40 per cent overnight.
While an access road to the retail and services precinct had reopened earlier this year, Mr Baker said their business was struggling when the Gazette spoke again with him in February, with business down 50 to 60 per cent.
The pair since decided to sell the business to new owners in May.
Now it appears as though the business has been sold altogether, with a new business set to make another go at running a cafe in the location.
