A COLAC businessman says his vision for an $80-million causeway across Lake Colac would create a truck bypass, recreational space and boost tourism.
$80-million Lake Colac road plan
Colac businessman Chris Meade's $80-million proposal for a road across Lake Colac.
2 Responses to “$80-million Lake Colac road plan”
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Chris’s proposal is a good step forward from any of the proposals to date, but it is still too close to shore, and most importantly it has no sound barriers between the bypass an the foreshore. Sound travels over water, and any bypass on the lake would require substantial sound barriers, preferably using trees and shrubs. So what the bypass would look actually like would be quite different from the aerial artist’s impression.
If we move the bypass more to the North, so that the new princess highway runs to the north of the train line east of Colac, we make the southern lake far more suitable for recreation, and help alleviate the noise and visual pollution of a bypass. Likewise, rather than running an access road down Gellibrand Street, Clark Street would help keep industrial traffic out of the city and residential areas. If such an access road were to be added, the area to the east of Clark street ramp would be suitable for wetlands to add to the tertiary treatment of Colac’s sewage before discharge to the lake. The area to the West would include the existing botanical gardens, boat ramp, rowing and sailing facilities.
The bypass across the lake can improve water catchment in the Southern part of the lake by including flows from both Barongarook and Deans Creeks, and enable a more consistent level in the southern lake. Most importantly if the bypass is sufficiently north of the foreshore, the area although significantly smaller than it is today, could still be larger than Lake Bullen Merri.
See for an aerial map : http://bit.ly/PfNB3R
We do need more discussion on a Lake Colac bypass. Done well, it would help address sporting, recreational and environmental issues that shroud the lake today.
Great idea. It’ll bring the lake into sharp focus and ensure it gets the attention it deserves to be a feature attraction of Colac.
Instead of being largely hidden from view, the lake will become a centerpiece seen by the countless motorists travelling the Princes Highway.
Under this plan and with so many eyes on it, there’s no way the lake could remain in its current sad and sorry state.
Now we’ve just got to make it happen.
Come on, Colac Otway Shire and state and federal governments. Stop talking, get working.