by Amy Hume
VICROADS’ original “Option J” Kilmore Wallan bypass route has re-emerged as the favoured route at a public meeting held by newly formed lobby group West is Best in Kilmore East on Sunday.
Following a Wallan Kilmore Bypass Group meeting last Wednesday, it was clear a majority of the community were not satisfied with the current bypass options on the table.
More than 120 residents, predominantly from Kilmore and Kilmore East, filled WIB leader Kevin Butler’s woolshed to take matters into their own hands at the Sunday meeting.
Option J was resurrected from the VicRoads Kilmore-Wallan Bypass Options Examination findings report to be voted the most popular western route with about 85 per cent of votes.
The route begins at the Hume Freeway, south of Wallan, and arches out to the west to connect to the Northern Highway, north of the Kilmore-Broadford Road intersection.
Kilmore East resident Ian Crawshaw put up the second most popular option, with a route beginning south of the Wandong township and ending at the Broadford-Kilmore Road intersection.
An “Option J compromise” (W1) put up by Mr Butler was considered the third best route, beginning at Wandong-Kilmore Road and ending at High Camp.
It was largely considered that a bypass to the west would solve Kilmore and Wallan’s traffic woes without the impact of the eastern options.
Some of the main concerns about an eastern bypass route included increased noise/pollution, “destruction of Monument Hill” and other historical areas, disruptions to lifestyle, local traffic accessibility, mental health, losing homes and financial loss.
It was generally agreed that an eastern bypass options were a “short term solution” and there was a “lack of strategic planning involved.”
VicRoads director for the northern region Mal Kersting, who has typically shied away from public meetings, made an appearance on Sunday to clarify some of the issues raised and hear the concerns of the community.
While Option J appeared the overwhelming favourite, Mr Kersting said it had already been considered in previous studies.
“Options A, B and C (from the Kilmore-Wallan Bypass Options Examination) were best at removing traffic and trucks from the main streets of Wallan and Kilmore,” he said.
“Option J didn’t perform as well as those.”
The State Government has provided $130 million for a Kilmore Wallan bypass by 2017. Option J was quoted in the study as the most costly at about $134 million.
Mr Crawshaw’s and Mr Butler’s options present a more cost efficient resolution but some Wallan residents at the meeting believed that there was one flaw - that they do not appear to bypass the township of Wallan at all.
Mr Butler said WIB is advocating for a bypass of the Kilmore township and a duplication, or “road widening,” of the Northern Highway between Wallan and Kilmore.
“Wallan doesn’t have the problems that Kilmore does,” he said.
“Kilmore is a dying town. The traffic in Kilmore is clogged up. We’ve got to get our priorities in order.”
Mr Kersting said there is currently no progress being made on the Northern Highway duplication, no current funding for it and no further planning, but VicRoads would like to “wrap it up and put it away in a drawer for when it might be needed.”
During the meeting it was suggested that the WKBG and WIB group amalgamate to fight for new bypass options.
Yesterday, Mr Butler said the seven members of the executive advisory committee voted unanimously against this decision due to conflicting ideas.
“Our ultimate goals are incompatible,” he said.
He said the main priorities for the group were a bypass to the west, widening of the Northern Highway and support of the 2009 Kilmore Access Study/2006-7 Kilmore Traffic Study.
The first VicRoads bypass information displays will be available for viewing in Kilmore on Wednesday, November 30, at the Memorial Hall from 11am to 8pm, and in Wallan, on Thursday, December 1, at the Wallan Bowling Club from 11am to 8pm.
Mr Kersting said these viewing times will extend until 8pm and anyone who unable to make the viewing can arrange to see the options personally.
