Sections
The project was renamed the Geelong Ring Road on 20 February 2007.
Construction on the Geelong Ring Road began in early 2006 with the freeway section to Waurn Ponds scheduled for completion in 2009. A total of $384 million from the Victorian and Federal Governments was committed initially to fund the first three sections of the project.
The Geelong Ring Road (freeway type) is to be constructed in three sections as follows; with all three under construction:
- Section 1: Princes Freeway, Corio to Midland Highway, Bell Post Hill
- Section 2: Midland Highway, Hamlyn Heights to Hamilton Highway, Fyansford
- Section 3: Hamilton Highway, Fyansford to Princes Highway, Waurn Ponds
There was much local debate on the proposed route for Section 3. The final decision was made on 7 July 2006, while construction commenced in September 2007. There will be no toll when the Geelong Ring Road opens to traffic.
- Section 4: split into three sub-sections; with planning underway:
- Stage 4A (Connection from Geelong Ring Road to Anglesea Road)
- Stage 4B (Connection from Anglesea Road - Princes Highway West)
- Stage 4C (Surf Coast Highway connection)
In October 2007, during the 2007 Federal election campaign the Labor party promised $107.5 million for the fourth stage of the road. It was made up of $45 million for stage 4B, on top of their promise made in September for $62.5 million towards Stage 4A. In May 2008 stages 4A and 4B were given the go ahead, with State Premier John Brumby announcing $65 million in funding for stage 4B, in addition to earlier State Government funding of $63 million for stage 4A. Running from the Princes Highway at Waurn Ponds; it will run from Anglesea Road near Hams Road, through the Blue Circle Quarry to the Princes Highway, near Draytons Road.
On 17 December 2008 a $62 million contract was awarded to Fulton Hogan to design and build section 4A of the ring road to Anglesea Road.
The State and Federal Governments have also each committed $110 million to duplicate the Princes Highway to Winchelsea. An extra stage connecting the road to the Surf Coast Highway is also being investigated, but the Government has not put a timeframe on when a final decision will be made.
A shared bicycle and pedestrian pathway will be also be built along the freeway from Broderick Road, Corio to Church Street, Hamlyn Heights. Built at a cost of $4 million, the trail will not connect into the Geelong bicycle network, due to a short missing link between Church Street and the Fyansford Common.
Read more about this topic: Geelong Ring Road
Famous quotes containing the word sections:
“For generations, a wide range of shooting in Northern Ireland has provided all sections of the population with a pastime which ... has occupied a great deal of leisure time. Unlike many other countries, the outstanding characteristic of the sport has been that it was not confined to any one class.”
—Northern Irish Tourist Board. quoted in New Statesman (London, Aug. 29, 1969)
“That we can come here today and in the presence of thousands and tens of thousands of the survivors of the gallant army of Northern Virginia and their descendants, establish such an enduring monument by their hospitable welcome and acclaim, is conclusive proof of the uniting of the sections, and a universal confession that all that was done was well done, that the battle had to be fought, that the sections had to be tried, but that in the end, the result has inured to the common benefit of all.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“Childhood lasts all through life. It returns to animate broad sections of adult life.... Poets will help us to find this living childhood within us, this permanent, durable immobile world.”
—Gaston Bachelard (1884–1962)