By Esther Lauaki
Protesters descended on Cherry Street on Monday to protest against plans to close the busy thoroughfare for good as a result of the removal of Wyndham’s three level crossings.
About 200 residents, led by the Wyndham Infrastructure Network, rallied in opposition to the Level Crossing Removal Authority’s proposals to get rid of the railway intersections at Old Geelong Road, Werribee and Cherry streets by the end of 2022.
The authority wants to build road bridges as a solution to the removal of existing level crossings at Old Geelong Road and Cherry Street and elevate the track over the road at Werribee Street.
Network committee member Geoff Rogers, an engineer behind an alternative proposal for an 8.5 kilometre tunnel between Hoppers Crossing and Manor Lakes, said the group believed the government’s plans were “hastily conceived and poorly designed”.
“This new road bridge [over Cherry Street] will be accessible via Railway Avenue or Tarneit Road,” Mr Rogers told
Star Weekly. “It will then run … adjacent to the council offices and spill onto an already congested Princes Highway.”
He said residents had concerns over the traffic disruption during construction of the bridges.
Level Crossing Removal Authority project director Tony Hedley said the authority would continue working with local residents.
The Wyndham Infrastructure Network has launched an online petition outlining its concerns.
Details: bit.ly/31uNJaA
