Motorists, cyclists and pedestrians in Geelong are a step closer to safer, more reliable journeys with contracts awarded to deliver the much-needed Barwon Heads Road Upgrade.
The project will be delivered through a trio of construction partners, creating around 500 local jobs and about 1,400 indirect jobs – crucial to the region’s economic recovery, post-COVID-19.
Decmil, BMD Constructions and BildGroup will build the project in partnership with Major Road Projects Victoria.
As a nationally significant development, Infrastructure Australia has evaluated the business case and has confirmed there is very significant benefit in duplicating the road, with a total economic benefit of $569 million and travel time savings of to $356 million.
The Barwon Heads Road Upgrade will add new lanes for four kilometres between Settlement Road and Reserve Road, remove a dangerous level crossing at Marshall and upgrade intersections at Settlement Road and Breakwater Road.
New traffic signals will also be constructed at Crows Road, Barwarre Road, Marshalltown Road and Reserve Road.
The upgrade, a G21 priority under its Regional Roads Connections project, will improve traffic flow and reduce congestion on Barwon Heads Road – a crucial arterial link between Geelong, the Bellarine and the growing Armstrong Creek residential precinct.
It will also provide better connections to active and public transport modes and ensure Barwon Heads Road can support up to 44,000 daily journeys expected by 2031.
As part of the upgrade, on-road cycling lanes and an off-road shared use pedestrian and cycling path will also be built, improving safety for other road users and allowing better connections to the Waurn Ponds Trail, the South Barwon Reserve, Belmont Common and the Barwon River Precinct.
A new bridge over the Melbourne-Warrnambool rail line removes the dangerous level crossing at Marshall, improving safety and traffic flow.
The Barwon Heads Road Upgrade is being delivered through a new partnership approach to road building contracts, and was supported by the Australian Government’s fast-tracking of the assessment and approval phases, to support funding for this significant project.
It is estimated upgrades will be delivered by 2024.
