Peninsula Link: Baxter overpass
26-March-2010
Baxter residents were supportive of the government's plans for Peninsula Link through all preliminary stages even though they knew the government's preferred route would go straight through their town and cause significant disruption to families and businesses. They were supportive because Baxter is a community-minded township and realises the importance of this new road infrastructure to Victorians and Mornington Peninsula residents in particular.
In the initial plans shown to residents the Baxter section was a relatively unobtrusive underpass. After another sham consultation process that dealt primarily with the route of the road, the government then imposed an unsightly overpass of 500 metres, up to 15 metres high, right through the middle of Baxter, which will divide this close-knit community forever.
On behalf of the Baxter community I invited the Minister for Roads and Ports to attend the Linking Melbourne Authority and Abigroup information session held last week in Baxter. The minister did not even have the courtesy to respond in time; he just did not turn up. I call on the minister to meet face to face with the Baxter community as soon as possible and listen to why there should be no overpass in Baxter.