MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors' decision to withdraw support for Peninsula Link's southern route had its genesis in a briefing to councillors on July 20.
This was when the State Government authority building the $750million freeway between Carrum Downs and Mt Martha showed councillors images of how the freeway would look.
The image that shocked some councillors was the 500 metres of elevated road where it swoops over the Frankston-Flinders and Baxter-Tooradin roads at Baxter. Sound barriers up to seven metres high would be built along the properties either side of the freeway.
Linking Melbourne Authority, known as SEITA until last month, originally planned to put the freeway under Baxter-Tooradin Road, but discovered the water table is close to ground level and it would be too expensive to build an underpass.
It decided to build one big flyover to cross the two arterial roads, which are about 300 metres apart.
Leading the charge of councillors opposing the route are Lynn Bowden, Leigh Eustace and Tim Rodgers.
Cr Bowden represents Watson Ward, which takes in Baxter, and Cr Eustace represents the adjacent Mt Eliza Ward. Both were elected last November - after the shire gave its full support to Peninsula Link, although it sat on the fence over the exact route. Cr Rodgers represents Portsea and Sorrento.
Councillors voted 8-3 late last month to withdraw support for the freeway's southern section, known as option 1 and recorded in Melway for many years, and called for an urgent meeting with Premier John Brumby and Roads Minister Tim Pallas.
The three councillors voting against the motion were Anne Shaw (Mt Martha area), Bill Goodrem (Rye) and Bev Colomb (Mornington).
A Government source said Mr Brumby and Mr Pallas were unlikely to agree to a meeting.
In Parliament on July 30, Mr Pallas said the council was "dominated by people aligned with the Liberal Party".
"We know that people in Frankston and on the peninsula want this project, but not all of those opposite [the Opposition] want to believe in this project.
"We stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula who want a full Link delivered.
"Like the southern brown bandicoot, the Liberal Party policies in this area have been abandoned and the only evidence of them is droppings."
Cr Bowden, who is married to former upper house Liberal MP Ron Bowden, told The Mail the 500-metre flyover was "a cheaper, more intrusive option".
She also is concerned that heavy vehicles travelling to and from BlueScope Steel's plant, the Esso refinery, United Petroleum's fuel import terminal and other industries in Hastings will get off the freeway at Frankston-Flinders Road and drive through Somerville and Tyabb.
Cr Bowden is also concerned about inadequate compensation for residents affected by the freeway.
"We were told Linking Melbourne Authority will inspect houses before and after the road has been built to see if there has been any damage during construction, but we want people to be able to claim compo up to seven years after the freeway starts operating because of the potential damaging effects of low-level vibration."
Councillors Bowden and Eustace also want VicRoads to upgrade Coolart and Graydens roads to take heavy vehicles away from towns on Frankston-Flinders Road.
The newly formed Baxter Residents and Traders Progress Action Committee last week circulated petitions against the flyover and has collected more than 200 signatures.
The group's chairman Peter Baulch said the overpass would create noise, affect the aesthetics and reduce the amenity of Baxter residents.
"We want to meet with shire engineers, Linking Melbourne Authority and the key bidders for the project to ensure the best interests of Baxter residents and ratepayers are fully protected, noise minimised and community aesthetics and amenity maintained."
Cr Eustace said councillors would show the Government it could save half the $400million cost of the southern half of the freeway by ending it just south of Eramosa Road West near Moorooduc Coolstores and joining an upgraded Moorooduc Highway. This is a variation on option 2, which was rejected by SEITA last year.
There would be flyovers or underpasses at Eramosa Road West, Bungower Road, Mornington-Tyabb Road, Bentons Road and Balnarring Road.
"We have always supported a freeway to bypass Frankston, but on the southern section we need a restricted-use highway, not a freeway," Cr Eustace said.
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