The future proofing of Great Western was discussed at Northern Grampians Shire Council’s final meeting of the year on Monday.
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Councillors met at St Arnaud for the last meeting of 2018, with the bypass of Great Western one of the top items discussed.
Councillors unanimously agreed on endorsing the Great Western Bypass Economic Impact Assessment Options Analysis which assessed specific requirements for the town ahead of the impending bypass in the future.
The report suggested a redesign of the Western Highway entry into the town, accommodating alternate heavy vehicle routes away from the main centre of Great Western. It recommended including ramps to the Eastern Interchange of the highway.
The report was targeted towards VicRoads, with an estimated cost of $8.9 million over 25 years for the changes.
“To bypass Great Western properly requires a diamond interchange at eastern end of the town,” Cr Tony Driscoll said.
“It comes at a cost but it is crucial to future proofing the township of Great Western.
“It has the potential to be an iconic tourist destination, and certainly is already proving to be a popular place.”
Northern Grampians Shire mayor Cr Kevin Erwin agreed with Cr Driscoll’s assessment of the need for a change in access to the town.
“When any town is bypassed a crucial factor is access,” he said.
