The current Sutton Street, Tarwin Street, and Pharaohs Road intersection. The house to be acquired is behind the left hand power pole.
A Warragul house will be demolished to make way for a major intersection reconfiguration.
This article was first published in our 14 June 2018 print edition. Get your copy free from local retailers.
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Councillors approved a plan to overhaul the Sutton Street/Tarwin Street/Pharaohs Road intersection at their meeting last night.
Under the plan, Sutton Street will extend west beyond Tarwin Street to the present sharp bend in Pharaohs Road, where a roundabout will be constructed with connection to the Waterford Rise estate.
A Baw Baw Shire-supplied map of the adopted intersection changes.
Critically, the alignment of the extended Sutton Street will be roughly straight – cutting right through the house at 1 Tarwin Street.
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A standard t-intersection will connect Tarwin Street to Sutton Street.
Despite his house of over 17 years facing the bulldozers, the property’s owner told councillors he believed the design “is probably the best option for that intersection.”
“I can’t hold up progress and I know progress is going to happen,” he said.
“I know I’m going to lose my place and I just want to be properly compensated.”
The search for a new house might prove frustrating, however, as the owner relies on a wheelchair to get around.
In excess of $100,000 has been spent on bringing 1 Tarwin Street up to disability standards.
On moving the motion to approve the plan, Central ward councillor Danny Goss acknowledged the difficulty faced by the owner and said the impact “needs to be handled with a lot of care.”
A report on the process for acquisition of the required land will be considered by councillors at a future meeting.
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The estimated cost of the project is $2.718 million, with funding to be sourced through the Developer Contribution Plan.
Once connected to Waterford Rise, the new intersection will become a key connection for many living in Warragul’s north and west.
A report presented to councillors notes that “residents living along Sutton Street and Pharaohs Road will likely experience additional traffic volume in the future, [largely as a] result of continued development.”
I just hope that the massive pot-hole that appeared at the existing intersection of these roads last week is filled in soon, before someone actually loses a vehicle in it.
I wonder if they will help him relocate like they promised TIMP they would do in December 2017 and still haven’t. Why doesn’t this shire work through and complete their promises as they go.
If they think these changes are progress, I would love to see their form of backward moves. Grid lock daily in Drouin and Warragul because they allow sub divisions to keep going ahead and traffic with nowhere to go.
Makes sense but please do a risk assessment on Pharaohs Road. Way too narrow for what will essentially be a ring road.
And the pothole was fixed Yesterday. Better late than never.