Planning is underway for the potential Barwon Heads Road Upgrade – Stage 2.

We’re exploring potential options to improve safety, increase the capacity of the road, make your journey more reliable and make it easier to walk and cycle in the area. As part of our investigations, we’re looking at potential solutions to:

  • upgrade Barwon Heads Road from Reserve Road, Charlemont, to Lower Duneed Road, Armstrong Creek
  • add more lanes
  • upgrade key intersections
  • build cycling and walking paths to improve connectivity.

Status

In early 2023, we asked for your feedback to help inform planning, shape the development of design options and refine the scope of the Barwon Heads Road Upgrade – Stage 2.

What you told us

From 23 January to 12 February 2023, we asked for your feedback to help inform planning and shape the development of design options for a potential upgrade of Barwon Heads Road between Reserve Road and Lower Duneed Road. Thank you for taking the time to have your say.

More than 400 community and business surveys were completed, and 50 pieces of feedback were provided on the interactive map.

Your feedback has helped us to better understand how you currently use the road network as well as provide important local insights, including community views on access, efficiency, safety, environmental values and what’s important to you in your local area.

Feedback highlighted that a potential future Barwon Heads Road Upgrade – Stage 2 would provide safer and more reliable travel around the local area.

  • 92% of community survey respondents and 100% of business survey respondents support a potential future upgrade
  • 83% of survey respondents strongly disagree or disagree that Barwon Heads Road sufficiently caters to current needs and future predicted growth in the area
  • 90% of survey respondents feel unsafe or very unsafe when walking or cycling along Barwon Heads Road.

For more information on what we heard, view the Community and Business Consultation Summary.

Planning approvals process

From 17 April to 22 May 2023, we asked for your feedback on the planning approval process for the Barwon Heads Road Upgrade – Stage 2. Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback via our feedback form, interactive map, in meetings or at our pop-up community sessions.

A total of 240 submissions were also received from the community. These submissions have been categorised into themes below:

  • 42% of submissions related to the proposed traffic lights and pedestrian crossings
  • 29% of submissions were about dedicated bike lanes and paths
  • 22% of submissions related to the length of time in which works would be completed
  • 17% of submissions related to support for the proposed upgrade to the Barwon Heads Road/ Boundary Road intersection.

For further information on what you’ve said view the Planning approvals process – consultation summary report (PDF, 636.6 KB).

Next steps

Feedback is being used to inform a business case that is expected to be complete in 2023, as well as being included in a report for the Minister for Planning as part of the planning assessment for the upgrade.

We will continue to provide the community with updates and information as planning progresses.

Factsheet