By Lauren Henry

Horsham Rural City Council has firmly put a bypass back on the agenda as part of a list of priorities for the Western Highway.

At Monday night’s meeting, councillors endorsed the priorities for inclusion in the Western Highway Action Committee advocacy strategy.

The Western Highway Action Committee, in existence since at least 1999, comprises the 10 councils between Melton and West Wimmera Shire, and has played a key role in advocating to the state and federal governments.

The committee’s updated strategy is proposed to be completed this year. 

The council’s highest priority is planning an alignment for the Western Highway bypass of Horsham, incorporating links to the Wimmera and Henty highways.

Other long-term priorities are duplication of the Western Highway through to the South Australian border, initially to Stawell; implementation of bypasses on duplicated sections; return of passenger rail to Horsham; and equitable access arrangements for freight on rail, compared to road.

Council’s short-term priorities include identifying a bypass-truck route alignment around Horsham, incorporating ring road and links to the Wimmera and Henty highways around the perimeter of the Horsham urban area.

Council has also called for addressing major congestion issues between Bacchus Marsh and metropolitan Melbourne, bringing that section of highway to full freeway standards; completing planning of Beaufort and Ararat bypasses; and upgrading the Woodmans Hill section, east of Ballarat, to full freeway standards. 

A ‘very short-term’ priority is the completion of the Stawell Road roundabout, intersecting with the Henty Highway and Golf Course Road, which is currently undergoing preparation works ahead of construction.

 

 

Cr Brian Klowss said the advocacy document was a good starting point.

“We as a  council, I think also have to pull our finger out and get a bypass route and the truck bypass route on paper, at the very least  to pressure the State Government to fund these roads,” he said.

Mayor Ian Ross implored the Horsham community to read what the priorities were in the advocacy document.

“ This document is prioritised from the broad, right down to our top priorities – and the alternative truck route around Horsham is the key one,” he said.

The Horsham council also listed as safety issues: highway intersections near the Wail overpass; short-stacking for heavy vehicles between Horsham and Wail, in particular Geodetic Road; unduplicated sections of the highway; pedestrian safety in Pimpinio and Dadswells Bridge; the Tarara roadhouse, east of Ararat, and the absence of acceleration and deceleration lanes; management of highway detours during emergency incidents; and reducing the speed limit for in urban areas to 50 kmh.

Cr Rebecca Sluggett said a bypass or an alternate truck route would certainly help alleviate some of the traffic through Horsham.

She said the document also addressed the issue of the short-stacking of heavy vehicles between Horsham and Wail – which was where B-double trucks do not have the space to cross a railway line, assess traffic and then pull out safely onto a highway. 

“Because of that, we have vehicles that are going over the overpass and down Kalkee Road to get around to the grain receival site at Dooen,” she said.

“Addressing this would alleviate some of the traffic over harvest coming through town, and even now when they’re emptying that site and taking product down to the port. 

“So there’s a whole section of land where, with the upsize of trucks, a lot of our farmers are unable to access that side of the highway without going out to Wail or coming through town.”

Cr Angela Munn questioned whether traffic lights were the best option for the Western Highway-Hamilton Street intersection.

“Our trucks can be up to about 53 metres long and I just feel there’s going to be a stacking problem with trucks trying to turn and trucks coming straight down north and south on the highway with that small part there,” she said. 

Other issues the advocacy document called for the attention of the State Government were the major dips in the road associated with movement of pavement, due to highly reactive clay soils; the timely repair of wire rope safety barriers; and maintenance of amenities and rubbish removal at truck stops and rest areas.

While other items listed in Horsham’s advocacy paper were the increasing length of speed limited zones in urban areas, such as Stawell; improved pedestrian safety near fast-food outlets, such as Dimboola Road, Horsham section; the potential installation of red-light cameras at the Baillie-Urquhart streets and McPherson-Wilson streets intersections; investigation of traffic lights at the intersection with Hamilton Street and congestion at Williams Road-Duff Street intersection; truck parking – decoupling area to be located in Horsham to service B-doubles and A-doubles; and parking areas for heavy vehicles near healthy food options, amenities, and services. 

The entire July 30, 2025 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire July 30, 2025 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!