Knox Council labels vital Dorset Rd project a ‘top priority’

RESIDENTS are in limbo and traffic congestion is getting worse because successive State Governments have failed to commit to a vital road project in Melbourne’s outer east.

Knox Council want to duplicate Dorset Rd through to Lysterfield, and are putting pressure on the state government. Pictured at the intersection of Dorset Rd and Burwood Highway, Ferntree Gully. Cr Karin Orpen with Knox Mayor Peter Lockwood. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

RESIDENTS are in limbo and traffic congestion is getting worse because successive State Governments have failed to commit to a vital road project in Knox.

That’s according to Knox councillor Karin Orpen, who is leading a renewed push for the State Government to commit to extending Dorset Rd.

Knox Council has labelled the proposed new four-lane 2km road from Burwood Highway in Ferntree Gully to Napoleon Rd in Lysterfield as its top arterial road priority in a new list it will send to VicRoads to be considered for funding.

The road project has been considered by successive State Governments for more than 30 years, but work has never started.

TELL US: Will the Dorset Rd extension ever be built? Have your say below.

Cr Orpen called for a report be prepared for the October council meeting outlining the options available for council to advocate for the extension of the road.

Cr Orpen said the council owned a vacant block of land at the intersection of Dorset Rd and Burwood Highway, and five or six properties other properties behind that block, which all have a road acquisition overlay over them in anticipation of the Dorset Rd extension.

She said several residents also owned land that was covered by the overlay, which was making it almost impossible for them to sell and enjoy their retirement.

She said Knox continually missed out on vital State Government funding because it was not in a marginal seat.

“We need to start doing something to wake people up that the votes here are important and there are things here that cannot continue to be overlooked,” Cr Orpen said.

She said residents living around Cornhill St and Glenfern Rd were affected because of the backlog of traffic in the area.

Cr Darren Pearce said Knox had grown considerably over the years, and the road extension was a vital piece of road infrastructure the city needed to ease traffic congestion.

VicRoads metro south east regional director Aidan McGann said any extension would be subject to future planning.

The State Government didn’t respond to requests for comment before deadline.