Beware: four lane highway ahead

21/2/2019

Cartoon Natasha Williams-Novak

By Catherine Watson

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, according to the old adage. And what started off as an attempt to untangle Phillip Island’s notorious holiday traffic congestion seems to be morphing into a monster highway.

At Wednesday’s council meeting, Cr Michael Whelan said he feared VicRoads was ignoring council plans and community wishes and pressing ahead with plans for a four-lane highway bisecting the island.

He said in the past week surveyors for VicRoads had sought permission from a number of farmers to survey on private land along Phillip Island Tourist Road. They had also sought permission to survey in the council-owned land in Scenic Estate Conservation Reserve.

“What concerns me is that VicRoads have already put on the table a plan to make the road through Surf Beach four lanes. This makes me concerned that in fact they are simply proposing to add four lanes pretty well across the island. In my mind that would be a disaster.

“I’m highlighting that in this point in time because it’s certainly not the approach that was identified in the Phillip Island Integrated Transport Study nor the Visitor Economy Strategy.”

The community reference group set up to advise on implementation of the Phillip Island Integrated Transport Study, has expressed similar misgivings on “big engineering” solutions to the island’s traffic woes.

The group is chaired by Cr Whelan’s wife, Mary Whelan, who writes in this edition of the Post: “While VicRoads is proposing some very big engineering projects to improve traffic flow on the island, there is a concern that road and intersection upgrades will dominate the major funding for transport for the next several years.

“Meanwhile, low-tech solutions are being overlooked, the community’s emphasis on safety seems to be forgotten, and there are no current plans to improve public transport services.”

Ms Whelan said VicRoads’ emphasis seemed to be on easing congestion at peak holiday periods but the community had other interests.

“How much do we build on the island to ease congestion?

“The community broadly accepts VicRoads plans for roundabouts at the Woolamai and Back Beach Road intersections with the main road. However, there is much less support for a proposal to widen the roundabout and road at Newhaven, and duplicate the Phillip Island Rd in the adjacent farmland along the Surf Beach, extending to the new roundabout planned for Back Beach Rd.

“The council has adopted three different plans that express the community’s desire for alternatives to private car use on the island. These include improved public transport, works to encourage active transport (cycling and walking), a reduction in inappropriate speed limits to protect people and wildlife, and limits on visitor numbers at busy periods.”

Cr Whelan said the council had enjoyed good rapport with VicRoads in the past.

“I’m not attacking them but I’m putting it on notice that we must make sure they continue to listen to the strategies that we’ve got in place rather than putting in place something that suits them and doesn’t suit the issues around the visitor economy strategy and the management of the number of visitors that come to Phillip island.”

Mary Whelan: Phillip Island at the Crossroads

24 Comments

Bernie McComb

22/2/2019 07:12:44 pm

Another try for sanity

The proposed project in Newhaven, Phillip Island, with 4 lane divided highway and 3 large, dual lane roundabouts makes less sense than ever.

The budget is $40Million a big swag, much needed for more deserving purposes. The length of the road, containing the 3 roundabouts, is just 2.5km.

The first half is 60km/h with the second half at 80km/h. If the full length was 80km/h, transit time could be as fast as 2 minutes. You can rarely travel at full speed because of a wide range of distracted, visiting drivers cruising slowly, so, at average 60km/h, transit time is 3 mins. Visiting Melbourne, it’s amazing how many roads now have reduced speed limits, surprisingly many 40km/h, permanently. But none on Phillip Island.

If the 2.5km was reduced to 40km/h, transit time would then be 4 minutes. Would this put anybody out? In terms of cars per hour, if we want more visitors, optimum appears to be 60km/h. Any faster and we leave bigger gaps between cars, so cars per hour is the same, perhaps less.

If the whole thing was 40km/h permanently, there’s no danger of serious injury or fatal accident. At 40km/h, traffic flows smoothly, vehicles give way to one another. So there would be no need for divided highway or big dual lane roundabouts or waste of $40Million, some of which could be spent on improving existing road surfaces.

The big project might be justifiable if divided highway allowed petrol heads to race all the way to the track. For just 2.5km, in middle of small period township, removing mature trees, more of them, making life difficult for pedestrians and cyclists, difficulty crossing and parking, for residents and businesses on both sides of the highway, how can this project make any sense?

Would anything like this get more than split second attention, before being laughed out of town, if proposal was for highway through a place like Maldon?

Bernie McComb

25/2/2019 09:12:08 am

Is any difference possible, with four lanes v 2 lanes, into such short, dead end road, with not enough car parks, when so many drive so slowly?

Nat

22/2/2019 07:31:56 pm

We are going to kill what makes visitors want to come here and community members want to live here: the natural attributes of this unique island. If we wanted it to be the Gold Coast - we would live there! Please let’s band together and make Vicroads listen. Cr Whelan: what’s the next step to ensure we are heard?

Sandra Thorley

22/2/2019 07:51:18 pm

I totally agree with you Nat. The San Remo and Phillip Island area will be changed forever and not the reason why we decided to become permanent residents here just on 20 years ago. Pave paradise and ........................

Jane Jobe

22/2/2019 08:21:18 pm

I agree too, Nat. VicRoads has a narrow mission re managing the arterial road network and road safety, so it's enormously frustrating, but not surprising, that it doesn't see the bigger picture. If we want to be heard about protecting the natural attributes that make this island attractive and drive our visitor economy, we need to talk to our state and federal representatives.

michael Whelan

24/2/2019 02:41:12 pm

Hi Nat
Next steps? Council adopted the Phillip Island Integrated Transport Study in 2014 that sets out transport priorities and approach. Since then a Community reference Group has worked on these issues mainly focussing on the critical safety issues presented in the likes of the Woolamai intersection. Vic Roads has been an excellent partner on getting those issues addressed. It is how the growth issues are handled that is important as the next stage and that is where the risk of the loss of character of the Island gets caught up. The Council Visitor Economy Strategy specifically discusses the value and appeal of the Island's open spaces. The proposal in question directly attacks this notion by seeking to put the road about 50 meters into farmland at Surf Beach. Council must insist that out strategies are properly considered in the plans for the future, my comments the other night were to reinforce this. The PIITS CRG meets tomorrow at 7.oopm at Newhaven meeting room - you would be welcome to attend.

Jeff Cole

22/2/2019 09:26:55 pm

I am a resident of another off island small coastal town.
Don't let the engineers get a hold of this, but as an Island Population that's facilities often rely on the cash injection from holiday populations to finance the rest of the year be careful what you wish for.

And then of course there's the bridge, the narrow San Remo approach and the roundabout at Boys Home road. Four lanes on the island are a bit useless with those as they are. At easter and Xmas etc traffic backs up to Grantville.
Jeff Cole

Julie Thomas

22/2/2019 10:24:50 pm

There are 365 days in a year and on how many of these does serious congestion occur? Even without the other very good reasons, the scale and cost of this project would be disproportionate.

John Gascoigne

23/2/2019 08:26:31 am

Nat has spoken for all of us. VicRoads imprints its preference, bestowing on our community an eyesore -- what most visitors have wanted to leave behind them.

Vicki

23/2/2019 09:15:55 am

Totally agree with all of the above

PI regular

23/2/2019 09:57:30 am

As a regular monthly visitor to the island it would be good to have 2 lanes each way all the way from grantville to Cowes. Getting onto the island at peak times is tough and with young kids a very tough drive if it ends up taking 3 hours from Melbourne. Phillip island tourist toad needs to be 2 lanes, I don’t get the issue here, although the one issue Vic roads hasn’t addressed is the one lane through San remo and the bridge. It’s not just Christmas that visitors come, it’s most weekends throughout the year

Trevor white

23/2/2019 10:12:20 am

A 4 lane highway going into a 2 lane bridge....
How does that improve the traffic flow?
A 4 lane highway needs a 4 lane bridge and 4 lanes through San Remo.
And only two lanes into Cowes!
Where is the Island traffic management plan.

IslandLocal

23/2/2019 08:19:01 pm

I am a local of 14 years, I drive everyday into Cowes from San Remo and i fully agree with you Trevor! (I used to live in Cowes) It doesnt make sense!
A 2 lane bridge going into a 4 lane onto the island?
Then coming off the island from a 4 lane road to a 2 lane bridge and road will get backed up unless 4 lanes are added from Bass HWY straight into Cowes and over the bridge. I feel that this hasnt been thought of throroughly and properly. If anything we need the roads re-fixed! Haha!! Could another bridge be built? Have one that goes onto the island and one that goes off? Just a thought!

Bernie

24/2/2019 02:06:41 pm

What sense does it make to spend $Millioms on 4 lane bridge when road to San Remo is 2 lane all the way to and from Bass? Does taffic on Island ever travel as fast as 80 kmh, even on a quiet day? How much difference can it make to get cars to Cowes faster when the only plan to park them is a whole 200 spaces at Transit Hub? How much incompetence does it take for construction of something as simple as a car park to take until Christmas?

Steve Denise

23/2/2019 11:26:37 am

the islands roads only go to and from the bridge "fact" at times congestion is a problem for road users. Fire truck Ambulances Police and other emergency services are greatly impacted. With the growth in population and the suburban sprawl getting closer the traffic from Fridays to Sunday is growing. “The council has adopted three different plans that express the community’s desire for alternatives to private car use on the island. These include improved public transport, works to encourage active transport (cycling and walking), a reduction in inappropriate speed limits to protect people and wildlife, and limits on visitor numbers at busy periods.”
Public transport bike riding will not solve the problem. The utopians view of an idyllic life has past, embrace change for without change the island would still be a wilderness (with on residents) Why did Coles, Woolworth and Aldis come to the island? Because they was a need. Tourists that stay on the island don't come to the island on a bus, or a bike it inconvenient. They bring their children their belongings their caravans. Stop dreaming face the fact live in the real world the roads are needed they are coming and thats that.

Mary-Lu and Eric Burt

23/2/2019 02:18:53 pm

Agree that a 4 lane solution across the Island is not desirable for many reasons and it won't solve the problem of congestion at the bridge.
The bridge is 2 lanes and the road on the San Remo side is 2 lanes. There is a school crossing at Newhaven and twice a day there is a 40k speed limit. One simple solution would be to extend the 40k area from the bridge to the Newhaven roundabout at all times.
The safety of wildlife, pedestrians and cyclists should be priorities in planning traffic solutions. (I've never seen signs anywhere but at Cowes telling me as a pedestrian to give way to cars!)
We also agree that reliable public transport, must be considered as a solution to road congestion.

Mark robertson

23/2/2019 07:31:08 pm

I recall that a vehicular ferry was going to provide a miraculous panacea to the island access problem.Is our council still throwing our rates revenue at this folly? Without a serious upgrade to the bridge I feel that the multi-lane vicroads improvements will simply prove to be a very expensive carpark

Sandra Thorley

23/2/2019 07:48:48 pm

Gosh next there will be a proposal for a regional standard skate park with a four tower lighting set up for night time use for our precious little green foreshore space opposite the supermarket in San Remo. Ooops! it has already been proposed much to the chagrin of soooo many locals who only found out about it after the grant of $650,00 was granted to the Skate Park lobby just before the last Federal Election. The Bass Coast Council have a great deal to answer for due to the lack of Community Consultation and are now trying to make it look like they are listening to ' the people!' Not good enough!

Bobthebuilder

23/2/2019 09:31:41 pm

In 30 years you will wish it were so. The roads are bumpy and noisey too and a smooth quiet ride is what is needed. Most wildlife jump at the bumping along of a car on uneven roads and minimum a new quite modestly widened path is needed. 60 is a pain in the are and 40 will just frustrate many locals as its shit we have not got sensible speed limits. Its about a balance and preparing for the future regardless of local stigma

Maxine

25/2/2019 09:21:41 am

Not happy Jan about this 4 lane road in the middle of the island, the skinniest part as well and an area that is a haven for wildlife particularly our beautiful shearwaters. What hope will they have when they fledge at end of April? It's bad enough now that cars do not abide by the 60 km limit, particularly the food transport trucks, the tourist buses and impatient weekend warriors who arrive to the Island with their Melbourne road rage.
I agree the road condition needs to be improved;t it does NOT NEED TO BE A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. Why isn't the blue line implemented on busy weekends? What's the problem with this? Proof is in the pudding, it works!!!!
It's about time VicRoads listens to the local community instead of ploughing ahead regardless.

Jesse

25/2/2019 05:34:38 pm

About time. Finally will help with the ridiculous congestion of traffic over the holiday season and when big events are on. 100% all for this. From San Remo with a second bridge to Cowes should have been converted to 4 lanes years ago and seen off the stupid blue line scheme. Bring this on as soon as possible.....

ALF

5/3/2019 10:56:47 am

Will Vic Roads ever move into The Twenty first century spend some money to get rid of the Roundabout at Lang Lang along South Gippsland Hwy & Build an Overpass ....

Your Future Mayor

13/7/2020 12:56:48 am

Using Comments regarding wildlife and environment.. like that protections are not there already!!!. We all care and have long accepted systems in place for the enviromental managememt of the islands wildlife. The Island Home owners, busisness and visitors require modern and safe road updates to go ahead. Duplication of the main roads are long long well overdue, mostly due to an old guard hoping they own the right to say NO to whats required for the greater good of our Island. Its time to step aside and allow the developments required to be undertaken for all our benifits... not for a few

Bernie Mccomb

13/7/2020 02:22:46 pm

Let’s be honest, this is a dead end country road, nowhere to go. It’s interesting to compare with mighty Newell Hwy, anywhere near urban, 50kmh limit for high speed long haul traffic but we can’t get anything less than 60kmh. Saddest part is that if the empire builders succeed with 4 lane monstrosity, it will deliver cars faster into dead end no car park road rage. For how many days if the year might it be necessary? VicRoads already spent million$ but accidentally on purpose didn’t investigate this. It will end up a place desirable fit neither visitors nor permanent residents. BERNIE.

Beware: four lane highway ahead

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