Welcome to the first in a series of seasonal updates we’re producing to keep our community informed of progress on the Drysdale Bypass.

The bypass is a massive construction project for the Bellarine. During construction we’re committed to keeping disruption to your everyday lives to a minimum. When construction has finished we, like you, will look forward to reaping the benefits of improved safety and eased congestion in Drysdale and the surrounding areas.

Earthworks updateThe bypass alignment is starting to take shape. You can now start to see the route of the bypass between Whitcombes Road and Grubb Road. Earthworks are progressing well – the areas near Drakes Road and the new Peninsula Drive are almost ready to start preparing the road alignment for asphalting.

We have completed our first area of asphalting where the new Peninsula Drive meets the existing Peninsula Drive. We completed this work during the summer school holidays to minimise traffic disruption. Temporary ramps have been installed and the finishing work, including kerbing and line marking, is planned for the next school holidays in mid-April 2019.

COMMUNITY UPDATE

DRYSDALE BYPASS PROJECT UPDATE

MARCH 2019

It’s starting to take shape!

In February 2019, the first of three roundabouts began to take shape at Whitcombes Road and work on the rail overpass is soon to begin, in May 2019.

Getting you connectedA large number of service relocations have been carried out, including power, water, and Telstra/NBN services in various locations. More of these relocations are planned in the coming months.

The alignment taking shape between Drakes Road and Murradoc Road

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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Places and spacesFrom the early stages of the project, the Drysdale Bypass team has sought feedback from the community about the architecture, landscaping and urban design aspects of the project.

In 2017 we ran a series of workshops with key stakeholders, including Bellarine Landcare, the Wadawurrung Community, Springdale Neighbourhood House, the local schools and Bellarine Birdlife.

Members of these groups and the Drysdale Clifton Springs Curlewis Association were invited to review the urban design, landscaping and architecture drawings late in 2018 to see how their recommendations have been incorporated into the plans prior to their finalisation.

When our Bypass landscaping plans are ready we will host an event to share the plans based on feedback from the community. This will be your opportunity to see how the Bypass will be revegetated with Bellarine Peninsula Indigenous trees and shrubs upon completion of the project.

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Portarlington Rd

New access road

Rail overpass

Jetty Road slip laneunder investigation

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Whitcombes Road roundabout

Murradoc Road roundabout

Princess Street roundabout

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Bellarine rail trail

Drysdale Bypass

Road removal

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Walking and cycling path

Changed access/end road

Signalised intersection

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Not to scale

Our dust suppression strategy Dust is an impact of any earthworks project but we are doing everything we can to mitigate and minimise its impacts.

For our active work sites, we have over 10 water carts operating along the bypass alignment working to keep dust down on windy days.

During construction, we often need to stockpile dirt to use later in the project. For these areas, we routinely apply a dust suppressant which is environmentally friendly matting agent which works by sticking to exposed areas of dirt and holding them in place.

For other stockpiles we use hydro-seeding to keep the dirt stable. When we have finished earthworks in an area we begin landscaping, this may be with mulch, grass or vegetation.

Community event a successIn December, we invited the community to the Drysdale Bowling and Croquet Club to meet the team delivering the Drysdale Bypass project.

The community turnout was fantastic. Our experts were on hand to answer all the questions and provide project information and updates.

As we progress with construction, keep a look out on our website for more events like this throughout the year – another way we work to keep our community updated and informed.

Check out our website for a short video of the community event!

roadprojects.vic.gov.au/drysdale Preserving indigenous plants In December, representatives from Bellarine LandCare met with the project’s Environmental Manager, to collect seeds from four coastal manna gum trees which are indigenous to the local area. One teaspoon of the tiny seeds can provide up to 1000 new manna gums. If they propagate successfully, some of these new coastal manna gums will be replanted along the bypass.

Bellarine Landcare has been working with the project team on the Drysdale Bypass since the early days of the project.

A key stakeholder in the Places and Spaces consultation project, they have provided invaluable guidance about species of plants that are native to the Bellarine Peninsula, local soil composition and optimal locations for different species.

During the planning of the Drysdale Bypass, we worked closely with Bellarine Landcare. Together, we developed an Indigenous landscaping plan to ensure the area will be suitably revegetated with Indigenous plants and trees.

You will start to see this landscaping taking shape as we finish sections of the Bypass, beginning with the new Peninsula Drive, scheduled for opening in May 2019.

Image left: Bellarine Landcare collecting seeds from the coastal manna gum.

Image right: MRPV representative exploring the finalised Bypass designs with community members during last year’s meet the team event.

The cultural heritage salvage site on Andersons Road

Key statistics

160,000 cubic metres of dirt has been moved – enough to fill more than 50 Olympic swimming pools.

514 people have been working on the bypass, including client, contractor and subcontractors.

All 6.4 kilometres of the bypass alignment is now an open worksite.

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Bellarine Peninsula’s history unearthed

The Drysdale Bypass cultural heritage salvage works are now complete with over 119,000 Aboriginal artefacts recovered along the alignment.

We found tool artefacts and hearth features which were identified on site by Wadawurrung field representatives and archaeologists.

The artefacts are currently being analysed by archaeologists and registered Heritage Advisors.

Upon completion of the analysis, all Aboriginal artefacts recovered during the salvage program are returned to the custody of Wadawurrung.

If you have any questions about the cultural heritage salvage works, or any other aspect of the Drysdale Bypass project, please give us a call. You can also see our video at roadprojects.vic.gov.au/drysdale

Safety is our priority Your safety and the safety of our team is very important to us.

To complete works safely, we may need to close lanes and reduce speed limits. Whilst we mostly work behind barriers during the day to minimise impacts, work may also be carried out at times during the night.

As we build the Bypass some delays are expected, and we ask you to plan ahead, add extra time for your journey, and take care around road works.

Sieving for artefacts during the local schools visit to the cultural heritage salvage site

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CONTACT UScontact@roadprojects.vic.gov.au

1800 105 105

Major Road Projects Victoria GPO Box 4509, Melbourne VIC 3001

For languages other than English, please call 9280 0780.

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