Alternative heavy vehicle route and second river crossing

The feasibility study will investigate possible alternative truck routes within and around the existing arterial road network of Horsham.

The study will see Horsham Rural City Council (HRCC) and the Department of Transport (DoT) collaborate with relevant State Government agencies and other stakeholders, including the local Registered Aboriginal Party, to determine a the most appropriate route for redirecting heavy vehicles from Horsham’s CBD of through truck traffic from the Western, Wimmera and Henty Highways.

The feasibility study will need to consider a two-step approach; a high-level review of multiple routes and then a detailed review of these routes to assess their suitability. The first step in this planning project is to undertake an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment.

The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment and Feasibility Study are currently underway.

HRCC has committed $100,000 for this planning work. The Commonwealth Government has also contributed $150,000 for HRCC to work with DoT to determine the location of an alternative truck route. This brings the total funding amount to $250,000.

The proposed alignment for a Horsham bypass didn’t receive adequate support through the Planning Scheme Amendment process from Horsham Rural City Council or the community.

Currently, DoT has no plans to continue the work on a Horsham Bypass. The Horsham Urban Transport Plan outlines specific objectives and benefits which an alternative truck route can better deliver in the short term.

The DoT will refer to data and reports used in the bypass planning study to inform the feasibility study. Additional work will form a key part of the investigations. 

We’ll understand more about sensitivities in the study area following the completion of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment and will work closely with the Registered Aboriginal Party to minimise or avoid impacts as part of this work.

Other factors to consider are cost, benefits, impacts, and investigating the key problems impacting these routes including:

• Access and connections to industrial areas.
• Connection to arterial roads (Western, Wimmera and Henty Highways)
• Connection to Wimmera Intermodal Freight Terminal (intermodal aspect)
• Assessment of floodplains along Wimmera River and impacts on potential crossings
• Impacts on sensitive receptors such as residential areas
• Impact on community groups and services
• Impact on public use space and key assets for community including paths, river and open areas
• Environmental and cultural heritage (historic and aboriginal) impacts, including but not limited to the sensitivity of culturally significant land
• Service implications (electricity, telecommunications, water, gas etc.)
• Urban growth plans, structure plans, masterplans for Council

Community consultation will form an important part of future detailed planning should funding be provided for the development of the truck route. This project will establish whether an alternative truck route around Horsham is feasible. There is no funding for the further development of this project at this stage.