Livestock carriers and agents have welcomed a road project that will provide a safer route to the Bairnsdale saleyards.
The $2 million extension of Giles Street in Bairnsdale will provide a new link and alternative route between the Bairnsdale industrial precinct and the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange, which will enable drives to avoid the town’s more central areas.
The works will commence early in 2017 and are expected to be completed by the middle of that year.
Shane Kennedy, who trucks cattle in and out for every Bairnsdale sale, said the project would be a “fantastic thing” that would increase safety for truck drivers and other road users.
He said currently, trucks had difficulty navigating traffic and roundabouts on the busy Macleod Street and other drivers often pulled out in front of them.
Agent Graeme Fullgrabe, Sharp Fullgrabe & Co, Bairsndale, said the project and funding was welcome, although it was a long-time coming. He said when livestock agents and others were proposing to build a saleyard in Bairnsdale, they had proposed a route up Giles Street “...and that was 25 year ago.”
Mr Fullgrabe agreed it would be easier and safer for transport operators to have an alternative to driving through central Bairnsdale.
He said last week agents had to meet truck drivers who were going to the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange for the first time at the weighbridge and show them the route, because the existing route was not sign-posted well and there were roads near the facility on which heavy vehicles are not permitted.
Mr Fullgrabe said hoped the bridge works that were announced as part of the project would be done to a standard to carry fully loaded trucks.
East Gippsland Shire Council will fully fund the bridge component ($850,000) and contribute an additional $589,000 to the project, supported by $590,000 from the federal government.
A council representative said the bridge as part of the Giles Street expansion would go over McGees Gully, near Grant Street.
Infrastructure and Transport Minister and local federal member Darren Chester said the extension would provide a new link and alternative route between the Bairnsdale industrial precinct and the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange, cutting travel distance by 1.5 kilometres.
“It’s estimated that more than 1700 vehicles, including 770 heavy vehicles, will use the new route, meaning they can avoid travelling through the more central areas of Bairnsdale to access either the industrial area or saleyards,” Mr Chester said.
“I commend East Gippsland Shire on working with the community to come up with a practical solution that adequately meets the needs of heavy vehicle operators and local traffic.”
East Gippsland Shire Council chief executive Gary Gaffney said the new link would allow vehicles to detour from the centre of Bairnsdale and avoid multiple sets of traffic lights and heavy traffic during peak periods.
Mr Chester said there would also be additional safety upgrades along the entire stretch of the Princes Highway in Gippsland, including to safety markers.
