'Community Concepts' - DCSCA submission 9

This is the ninth submission by the Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Association (DCSCA) to the City of Greater Geelong's 'Community Concepts' programme.

For background on the programme, and earlier DCSCA submissions see "'Community Concepts' - making the process transparent" on this blog (22 January).

Scoping Study - Extending the Geelong Ring Road to the Bellarine Peninsula. 

The City of Greater Geelong considers it "vital" to extend the Geelong Ring Road to the Bellarine Peninsula. Council should create a scoping study to identify the costs and benefits (both to central Geelong and to the Bellarine Peninsula) of the extension, identify available funding, set a desired completion date and assist VicRoads to progress the Ring Road to completion. The scoping study should include representatives of Federal, State and Local Governments, VicRoads, Geelong Otway Tourism,  community groups and businesses in the affected areas, plus invited experts.

Objectives of the project

• To identify the need, costs and benefits (safety, economic, environmental, etc.) of extending the Geelong Ring Road to the Bellarine Peninsula and make recommendations to governments and to Vic Roads
• To recommend  whether to construct the extension as a freeway, as this would be a quicker route between Melbourne and the Bellarine or western Victoria than travelling through central  Geelong.

Benefits of the extension

The City of Greater Geelong website currently lists the benefits as:  

• Reduced east-west traffic congestion through Central Geelong
• Reduced traffic through residential suburbs and townships 
• Increased tourism opportunities as a result of easier accessibility 
  
• Increased accessibility to the Geelong Ring Road, particularly for the Moolap industrial area and the residents of the Bellarine Peninsula.

DCSCA lists the benefits of an extension as:

• Increased attraction and accessibility of the Bellarine to tourists, helping to grow the local economy
• Improved ambiance in central Geelong beacause of reduced traffic congestion, reduced noise and increased safety. This will increase central Geelong's attraction to locals, visitors and tourists.  
• Improved community health and wellbeing because of reduced pollution, reduced travel times and reduced 'road rage'. (This will also reduce costs to the health care system.)
• Improved conditions for economic growth in central, south and east Geelong
• Improved local environment and economy, because of a reduced carbon footprint and reduced uses of fossil fuels. 

Street address and suburb: South-east Geelong. 

Council wards: Buckley, Austin.

Estimate of total project cost:$40,000 - $80,000, depending on the brief for the study and the level of CoGG resources deployed.