Works will soon commence on the first phase of the Ballarat Airport upgrade, with the airport’s runway length set to be expanded to 1,800m.
The project is being jointly funded with $5 million from the City of Ballarat and $3.8 million from the Federal Government via its Regional Airports Program.
It is hoped that the upgrade will improve transport connections, stimulate economic growth, and assist business expansion for Ballarat and the region.
To limit interruption for the users of Airport Road the City of Ballarat – along with Fulton Hogan – has managed a staged construction program. The next phase of works will require the temporary closure of Airport Road.
This temporary closure will allow an additional 555m to be added to the current 1,245m runway.
There will be an interim traffic detour in place from15 April 2023 to approximately 10 June 2023.
Traffic will be diverted via Sunraysia Drive, McCartneys Road, Highfield Road and Hopetoun Road. Signage will direct drivers as they approach the closed Airport Road.
Nearby residents and businesses have been directly contacted to inform them of the temporary disruption.
In accordance with the BWEZ development plan, once Stage 2 is completed the main access for residents and businesses that currently use Airport Road will change to Liberator Drive.
This will be constructed by Development Victoria around the southern end of the new runway as a separate but interrelated project.
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson, thanked the community for their patience and understanding with this temporary diversion.
“The Ballarat Airport has a strong history as a facility that has adapted to the needs of the community over the years and is an important strategic and economic asset for our region,” Mayor Hudson said.
“The extension of our runway is an important first stage of a long-term plan which will ultimately enable a range of new aviation-based opportunities.”
The runway works are expected to be completed by the end of 2023. Aircraft landing and taking off from Ballarat Airport will not be impacted during construction.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said this was an important project for Ballarat.
“The Ballarat Airport generates over $10 million in output each year – supporting jobs and the local economy,” Ms King said.
“The airport supports a wide mix of activities including general and recreational aviation, emergency services operations and community hubs such as the Ballarat Aviation Museum.
“We know exactly how vital all of these services are for the Ballarat community and for businesses, which is why the Australian Government is proudly putting in the funding needed to make this runway extension a reality.”
