Casey mayor Kevin Bradford and the council have launched a major campaign to lobby the State Government and VicRoads to fund construction of the long-planned Cranbourne Bypass.By Alison Noonan
CONSTRUCTION of the long-awaited Cranbourne bypass is a matter of life and death, according to Casey Council.
The council last week launched its $5000 ‘Cranbourne’s heart needs a bypass’ campaign to lobby the State Government and VicRoads to fund the vital project.
The $12 million bypass is 1.2-kilometre arterial road stretching from the South Gippsland Highway to Cameron Street.
It also includes the upgrade of Cameron Street to provide a new duplicated road between Camms Road and the South Gippsland Highway at a cost of $20 million.
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford said the never-ending convoy of large trucks that travelled through High Street was crippling Cranbourne.
“Blocked arteries need surgery and High Street is choking with heavy vehicles and excess through traffic,” he said.
Cr Bradford said more than 1250 rigid trucks and 500 semitrailers travelled through Cranbourne’s CBD every day, hurting local businesses and posing a danger to pedestrians.
He warned that without the bypass to divert the trucks off High Street, Cranbourne’s future was in jeopardy.
“The negative impacts of the current traffic volumes and amount of heavy vehicles will only escalate into the future as Cranbourne continues to grow and develop,” Cr Bradford said.
“This is why the Cranbourne bypass is the City of Casey’s number one main road diversion priority.”
Cr Bradford said High Street was a hotspot for car accidents, with 91 casualty crashes recorded between Clairmont Avenue and Sladen Street from 1999 to 2004.
“The potential for further accidents is growing,” he said.
“We have already seen two fatalities (within that period) and 19 have resulted in serious injury.
“The bypass will provide an alternative route for the trucks and lead to a decrease in these frightening accidents.”
Cr Bradford said local traders would be the major winners in the construction of the bypass.
“The heavy vehicles are discouraging residents from using their local shopping facilities,” he said.
“The survival of local businesses depends on a vibrant atmosphere where people feel comfortable to shop.
“The bypass will facilitate business activity between the east and west sides of High Street and attract more people to the shopping centre.”
Land has been reserved for the bypass since 1960 but shovel had never hit soil to start the project, Cr Bradford said.
“The State Government and VicRoads must act now,” he said.
“Council has been lobbying for the bypass since 1999 and we will continue to push this new campaign right up to the (state) elections in October.
“Council has developed a petition that we are encouraging people to sign.
“We have also established a website, www.cranbournebypass.com, where you can log on and register your support. Ultimately we will arrange for this petition to be presented to State Parliament.
“Everyone can help give Cranbourne’s heart a bypass.”
The petition is available in various locations around Cranbourne, including the library and City of Casey customer service centre at Centro Cranbourne.
To write to council regarding the bypass, address correspondence to Cranbourne Bypass Campaign, City of Casey, PO Box 1000, Narre Warren 3805.
