Mayors Message Thursday 21 October 2021

21 October 2021 11:08am

Mayor’s Message  

Ballarat is growing and one of its key challenges is ensuring we have a road system that provides commercial and lifestyle opportunity through functionality and location. Replacing traffic pressure in residential areas with a strategic alternative is part of our 2021-2025 Council Plan as a city that fosters sustainable growth.

The City of Ballarat is now thriving with 113,000 people, boasts a diverse range of industries and has an attractive lifestyle that continues to lure new residents who bring with them new investment.  

One of the keys to Ballarat’s future success is how well we plan our arterial road system and one such critical transport route is the next stage of the Ballarat Link Road, which includes the duplication of Dyson Drive. 

Dyson Drive has gone from being a local road carrying an average 1783 vehicles per day in 2005, to 10,490 per day now. It’s become a major north-south thoroughfare for residents in our city’s west. It’s already a crucial link to Wendouree Train Station (via the reopened Gregory St West and plans to one day expand the station’s southern side), to the Ballarat West Employment Zone, a rejuvenated Ballarat Airport, and to the Western Highway.  

The road also has the potential to join through to the Glenelg Highway, and the Midland Highway, supporting the next chapter of Ballarat’s western growth and streamlining the entry and exit for the western side of Ballarat without having to travel through suburban streets. 

This is why the City of Ballarat is advocating strongly to the Victorian and Australian governments for funding support to build this critically important piece of infrastructure for our city.    

Such a significant and strategic road opens the door for so much potential and the Ballarat Link Road / Dyson Drive is a road of possibilities, and we have a once in a generation opportunity to get this right.  

I know that in Ballarat, ‘people power’, the right strategic planning and a few good ideas will get us there.  

   Mayor Cr Daniel Moloney   