Melton council hopes a major VicRoads project will help restart work on a bridge that was halted two years ago.
The council started building the bridge over Kororoit Creek at Westwood Drive, Burnside in 2013, but work was halted when Aboriginal Affairs Victoria (AAV) issued a stop-work notice because the bridge impacted on three culturally sensitive sites.
VicRoads is now proposing to upgrade a 16-kilometre stretch of road between the Western Freeway and Calder Freeway to a six-lane divided highway.
The council hopes the bridge can be revived as part of this development.
VicRoads and Melton council have prepared a planning scheme amendment and environment effects statement (EES) to ensure all Aboriginal issues have been addressed in reserving the necessary land.
The VicRoads project includes shared bicycle and pedestrian paths on either side of the new road, removal of two existing railway level crossings, construction of two bridges over Kororoit Creek, and raising of the Calder Freeway interchange.
The environment effects statement stated VicRoads was working with the Wurundjeri people and other Aboriginal groups to help resolve the issues.
A council report stated that the council had tried a number of times to resolve the matter with AAV without success.
“In order to avoid ongoing extensive delay costs … council terminated the contract,” the report stated.
“[But] once the environment effects statement, planning scheme amendment and cultural heritage management plan are approved, council will be in a position to construct the Westwood Drive bridge over Kororoit Creek, subject to future budget processes.”
While the council supports the project, it will write to VicRoads requesting the width of the bridge be reduced from four metres to 3.3 metres. It has also asked VicRoads to clarify an apparent discrepancy in the project’s EES.
Part of the document states that two bridges will be constructed over Kororoit Creek, while another section says a single bridge will be built by Melton council and then widened by VicRoads.
The EES and amendment were on public exhibition at the council offices between July 30 and August 31.
