Work on track

By Melissa Grant
TRAFFIC is moving smoothly on McGregor Road, Pakenham, with the first stage of the arterial’s duplication virtually complete.
The section of road between Henry Road and Heritage Boulevard has been split into two carriageways, while traffic signals have also been switched on at the Henry Road and Webster Way intersection.
Cardinia Shire councillor Collin Ross said the activation of the lights would greatly benefit residents in the Heritage Springs and Henty Park estates.
“It’s now safer for people to move in and out of the estates,” he said.
Fellow councillor Brett Owen said he was pleased the first stage of the $4.5 million project was almost finished, but the council had hurdles to clear to complete the next stage.
“We would like it done now… but the job isn’t done,” he said.
Cr Owen said the council was yet to acquire a parcel of land required for the second stage of the project, and was also waiting on approvals from VicTrack.
“Council is committed to getting (VicTrack) approval for further duplication over the railway line and the council has budgeted for those approvals,” he said.
The council has set aside $400,000 in its 2009-10 capital works program to design stage two of the duplication. Construction is expected to begin in the next financial year.
Pedestrian crossings, with boomgates, are proposed on both sides of the road to ensure people can cross the railway line safely.
Mayor Bill Pearson said it was vital that the council secured government funds for the full upgrade of the railway crossing, part of the second stage.
“The biggest worry is we have to get funding for the railway crossing, otherwise we will have a bottleneck,” he said.
It is also proposed that another set of traffic lights, at either Duncan Drive or Cunningham Crescent, would be installed during construction of the project’s second stage.
General manager assets and services Mike Ellis said it was likely that the western end of Main Street would be aligned with Cunningham Crescent to create a signalised intersection.
Cr Ross said the duplication project would greatly benefit Pakenham bypass users, with travel times expected to improve greatly when finished.
Traffic counts in February showed 10,800 vehicles used McGregor Road each day and Cr Ross expected the figure to climb to 32,000 when housing estates in the area were completed.