WITH traffic forced into a single lane on the South Gippsland Highway in the centre of Korumburra, due to upgrades, nearby businesses and residents are concerned for the safety of road users.
Works to improve Korumburra’s streetscape began earlier this year and were anticipated to be completed in stages, by the end of this year, according to shire documents, however, they are far from being finished.
According to the South Gippsland Shire Council (SGSC), works are only 65 per cent complete and Commercial Street works are not expected to be finished until mid-2025.
“I know I’m not alone with concerns about the roads project. I believe several businesses on the main street are also worried about congestion and safety, though they are hoping and remaining positive their business will improve with a Korumburra facelift,” said Korumburra resident Derek Roberts.
The Southbound lanes of Commercial Street have only recently been completed, with dual lanes being forced into one, which is now occurring on the northbound lanes as the pedestrian access at the top of Radovick Street undergoes an upgrade.
“It’s dangerous forcing traffic into not only a single lane, but also a hazard for motorists trying to turn right from Radovick Street onto South Gippsland Highway, or should it be called South Gippsland Lane now?” said Mr Roberts.
Upgrades to the town are extensive and include replacing footpaths with concrete; changing Commercial Street/South Gippsland Highway to a single lane of traffic in each direction, to allow for the inclusion of a manoeuvring lane for parallel parking, constructing kerbs and kerb extensions and improvements on sections of Radovick and Bridge streets.
Mr Roberts said that while it’s great to see money invested in Korumburra, he believes more will need to be spent on fixing the traffic flow and parking issues in the near future.
He also wonders if appropriate consultations were sought from local businesses, residents and road governing bodies and would be interested to see any recommendations made and anticipated outcomes.
More transparency, information and updates from the council would also be welcomed, believes Mr Roberts.
“I think setting up a council page for feedback, sharing the project plans, progress, costings and expected outcomes may alleviate some of the concerns,” he said.
According to a staff member at “T” For Tyres on Commercial Street, the business has had very little information or updates directly from the Council about the works and have had to rely on contractors to let them know what is happening.
SGSC are also being coy about the entire cost of the project.
As far as the Sentinel-Times can ascertain from public documents on the Shire’s website, $5 million is funded from the Victorian Government’s Community Infrastructure Loan Scheme, and potentially $3 million is being funded by Council, but that is unconfirmed.
“The total project budget for this stage of the works is $4 million. Works are proceeding within budget,” stated SGSC.
Updates on other work are also lacking, the latest information on SGSC’s website (as of last week) about the Korumburra Railway Precinct works stated that stage one has been completed.
However, SGSC has informed The Sentinel Times that, “The new public toilet block and shelter are underway and expected to be complete during early 2025. The new skatepark is planned for construction in 2025, subject to approvals.”
Which have been listed as being part of Stage One.
It might prove difficult for SGSC to provide public transparency and updates if there is confusion about project plans, progress and budget internally, as there appears to be.
