Just a heads up for those that are travelling to Falls Creek...there have been some changes to speed limit zones between Tawonga and Tawonga South as you approach Mt Beauty. Of course none of them involve an increase in speed limit, so remain alert and keep an eye on your speedo.
Cheers

Yep noticed this coming back yesterday afternoon.

Police were out in an unmarked car doing speed checks around this area.

Slowly but surely we're getting down to pushbike speed.

If ever there was a 'natural' speedtrap it's Tawonga- Towonga South. definitely time for a bypass (oh and to slow down of course (;-/).

just stupid
and more speed reductions between mt beauty and wodonga too

They might have been put in by Vicroads to stop us whinging about them not fixing the Yack Ck bridge.

Lindsay rd detour is now all 80, also around Kergunyah

putting up signs is so much more colourful than building boring bridges

I suppose that we are lucky that there are no businesses in the Upper Kiewa Valley that rely on tourism. Adding to the travel time is a great way to make a visit to our part of the world appear even more difficult and inconvenient for potential visitors.

Between Alpine Shire and Vicroads, you could almost be lead to believe that there is a conspiracy afoot to kill tourism in the Upper Kiewa Valley...pity that I am not a conspiracy theorist or I could have so much material to work with. However, don't need to a conspiracy theorist to clearly see Alpine Shire's attitude to the Kiewa Valley and it's tourism industry.

[quote=Hully]I suppose that we are lucky that there are no businesses in the Upper Kiewa Valley that rely on tourism. Adding to the travel time is a great way to make a visit to our part of the world appear even more difficult and inconvenient for potential visitors.

How much time will the new speed restrictions add to a trip to Mount Beauty or to Falls Creek? Maybe 5 minutes perhaps?

to be honest it won't add that much, especially in the context of a trip from melbourne , sydney etc. but it is a pita for regular commuters who already are travelling further because of a long detour that has been in effect since dec and likely to last till next april.

AFAIK there have been no serious accidents in recent years in the areas where speed has been reduced. (there was a fatality quite a while ago between tawonga & tawonga sth but they reduced the speed limit from 100 to 90 after that. AIUI it was caused by one driver losing consciousness, not speed)

Just imagine if there was a bridge construction company located in Yackandandah...

Really, as Curra said it is not a great add to the travel time. The problem is perception. Many tourists already see Mt Beauty as too far from Melb for a weekend trip, yet Bright is recognised as a reasonable weekend getaway. Fact is travelling to Mt Beauty from Melb via Happy Valley/Running Ck is only about 10 mins longer in total tavel than travelling to Bright from Melb. I already had a visitor to Falls Creek on the weekend comment to me on the extra 80km zones and add to travel time from Wagga...in reality probably only 5 mins but that is not the perception.

Many, many kilometres of the drive to Buller have dropped from 100 to 80 since I got my license and started driving there 16 years ago. Hasn't stopped me going every weekend.

agree that perception is an issue. And 60 & 80 zones just drag, they seem to go on forever. before it was freeway all the way from Melb to Albury, I often travelled to falls via black spur (avoid the lunatics travelling to buller). i really hated healesville because the speed limited are seemed to go on forever.

But the extra travel time due to the Yackandandah detour is only temporary, And I agree that it is a pita. But it will be fixed in time.
The speed zone changes in Tawonga - Tawonga South, have simplified what could be a confusing gaggle of speed zones from 7 to 5 in a distance of about 8km. That must be good.
So you have to travel at 60 in an area where you used to be able to to 80. Its hardly going to ruin a weekend.

The confusion and associated possible speeding fine is what might ruin the weekend!!

My original post was to alert people to the changes so that it does not ruin somebody's weekend. Admit that it has got a little OT.

Thanks for the heads up Hully

Apparently the Yack creek bridge will be finished by the end of Jan 3 mths ahead of schedule.

And about bloody time.

the new yack creek bridge opened today
'bout bloody time

This is a classic case of beauracratic under promise and over deliver. A major access route has a bridge washed out, do nothing for a few months, say it will be nearly 2 years before it is fixed, after the outrage set a target of 18 months to get it done and then pat yourself on the back for bringing it in 6 months ahead of budget....nearly 13 months after it was damaged!!!!

Glad I will not have to do that detour again.

Hully ann BilbyBill have it right. Perception is all. As for the program to kill of tourism etc ....it's just been done by the default incompetence, seasonal greed and indifference of Shire administrations, state governments, lousy CRB and business operators reliant on a golden goose that is so wrung out the damn thing is more than dead.

Yes its been a long time fixing up the FFF bridge on Kiewa Valley Hwy!!!

I think Falls Ck Management should be pushing Vic Rds /State Govt for upgrade on whole road from Myrtleford to Running Ck.

Just better alignment signage of comming corners passing section approaching both sides of saddle.

I find driving to Bright from Melb is so easy.I still come over to Mt Beauty but i can see why people go to Bright:its a bloody better straighter road.

Its not much extra time to get to Mt Beauty but make it as road friendly as possible.Spend some money here big time.

And yes its a piss of when road speed limits are reduced that we are accustomed to.I did a double take when i saw the new signs near Tawonga.

You want the tourists then make it easier and safer for them to drive the extra distance.
I see some good works were done on the Running Ck side of the Gap near the dubious bridge where the flat valley floor.I hate that bridge at night when blinded by oncomming headlights with its bend right on the bridge!!!!