Diane and Norman Nettleton of Nar Nar Goon North look over the Pakenham Bypass display with VicRoads delivery engineer Andrew Barr at the Cardinia Cultural Centre.The overpass under construction for the Gippsland railway line near Ryan Road, Pakenham.By Elizabeth Lillis
RESIDENTS from in and around Pakenham were keen to look over the cure to the Princes Highway traffic woes, the Pakenham Bypass, on Sunday.
VicRoads, which is responsible for the $180 million project, hosted one-hour bus tours departing from the Cardinia Cultural Centre each half-hour between 10am and 3pm.
Most buses were full with about 655 people taking the opportunity to tour over the bypass work site.
On each tour, parts of the project were explained as passengers were driven the three stages from Cardinia Creek to Ryan Road, Pakenham.
VicRoads project manager Charlie Broadhurst said the project was on track for completion by December, hopefully before the busy holiday season.
He said the 20km project was 60 per cent complete and VicRoads felt it was a good time to show people the progress made so far.
Passengers were shown the construction of the bridge over Cardinia Creek, which has the pylons in place.
During the tour passengers heard how the endangered species on the bypass – the dwarf galaxis fish, the growling grass frog and the matted flax-lily, were protected during the construction.
People who attended the tours said they enjoyed the experience.
Seeing the bridges, of which 12 are being built on the project, seemed a highlight for many.
“It was very good, very explanatory. I learnt a lot,” said Kevin Lia of Pakenham.
About 2000 people have worked on the project so far for the two construction companies completing the work, Abi Group and FRH.
An additional 20 staff work in the VicRoads project office at Hallam.
