Ms Lovell said the recently announced South East Precinct Structure Plan for Shepparton East would see a huge amount of increased traffic in the area of Doyles Rd, or the current alternative truck route, from the plan’s additional 2500 residential homes, a primary school and shops in the area.
She said without a dedicated Shepparton bypass, the development would threaten the practicality of Doyles Rd for heavy vehicles while increasing the risk for residential traffic.
“The bypass is the only answer to take trucks out of the CBD, out of High St, and to solve the problem of a proper bypass,” Ms Lovell said.
“(Doyles Rd) is going to become a part of the residential zone and will no longer be suitable as a viable truck route.”
Ms Lovell has been urging the Victorian Government to fund a bypass since before the precinct plan was made.
“The additional residential housing really ramps up the need for them to get started on the bypass,” Ms Lovell said.
“The (housing) development will take 20 or so years to complete, but the building of the road (bypass), especially if they do it in stages, is going to take some years to complete.
“They need to start that now so that it progresses in line with the growth of Greater Shepparton’s residential area.”
When asked where the funding should come from, Ms Lovell said making the bypass a state and federal priority was a must and that a Victorian Coalition government would increase commitments to regional projects such as the bypass.
