01 Nov 2017 Border Mail, Albury-Wodonga (General News) THE Victorian government has outlined a timeframe for a heavy vehicle deviation route in Rutherglen to be established, as VicRoads works towards identifying the best option. A joint federal and state government statement released yesterday confirmed the anticipated $4 million for the project, with construction expected to start in late 2018 and be completed by the end of 2020. Roberta Horne, who has led the push to get trucks out of the towns main street in recent years, said the announcement was a win. This money is exactly what (Federal Infrastructure Minister) Darren Chester talked about when he came last year, she said. I think we will have it within two years people have been asking for a bypass, but were not going to get it it will be an existing road network thats upgraded, she said. This is what Ive been advocating for. Ms Horne met with the VicRoads team this month and said their Origin to Destination Study, to identify the best route, would be under way soon. They said traffic counters would be out and cameras set up in early November and they think it will be out for public consultation early in the new year, she said. At a community meeting in May, VicRoads representative Sarah Morris said the full cost of the project would not be known until a route was chosen, with about $600,000 to be spent on the study and consultation. That would leave $3.4 million to do actual works on the ground, but until we figure out a preferred route . we dont know what those things are, she said. Northern Victoria MLC Jaclyn Symes said the community, businesses and the freight industry would be involved in determining the deviation route. ELLEN EBSARY Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.