As construction on the Hargreaves Street corridor enters its critical phase, locals living and working along the route share their hopes and frustrations about the long-awaited infrastructure push.
3 min read
The sound of jackhammers has become as familiar as church bells in central Bendigo, and residents are offering starkly different assessments of the city's most ambitious transport infrastructure project in a generation.
The $180 million Hargreaves Street and View Street upgrade—designed to improve traffic flow and create a modern transit spine through the city—has entered its eighteenth month of construction, with completion still two years away. For some, it represents essential modernisation. For others, the disruption to daily life has worn thin.
"I run a small café on View Street, and honestly, I've seen my weekday foot traffic drop about 30 percent," says one local business operator who declined to be named. "People are finding alternative routes. They're avoiding the area altogether."
The project encompasses new bus rapid transit lanes, widened footpaths, and upgraded stormwater infrastructure—elements the Bendigo City Council argues are critical for a growing population now exceeding 165,000. Council projections suggest the corridor will eventually handle 40 percent more vehicle movements while reducing congestion by up to 25 percent.
Yet for residents in the surrounding inner-city neighbourhoods—particularly those in Eaglehawk and Golden Square—the current reality feels far removed from promised benefits. School drop-off times along the modified routes have become increasingly unpredictable, with journey times fluctuating wildly.
"My daughter's school run used to take eight minutes from our place near the Bendigo Senior Secondary College," explains one parent. "Now it's anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes depending on which detours are open. It's chaotic."
The council has allocated $2.8 million for business support programs and temporary parking solutions, though many traders say assistance hasn't fully offset revenue losses. Several shops in the troubled stretch have reduced operating hours or scaled back staffing.
Not all voices express frustration. Accessibility advocates have praised the expanded footpath designs and new accessible public transport waiting areas, noting they address long-standing gaps in Bendigo's infrastructure.
"For people with mobility issues or parents with prams, some of these changes will be genuinely transformative," one community advocate noted.
The council has committed to fortnightly community update sessions at the Bendigo Town Hall through December, where residents can voice concerns directly to project managers. The next session is scheduled for July 12.
With two years of disruption still ahead, local sentiment appears to hinge on whether the promised improvements ultimately justify the extended inconvenience.
This article was compiled by AI from the sources linked above and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.
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