PLANNERS of a bike path between Swan Hill and Lake Boga are now looking into an alternative route after designs for the original trail hit a dead end.
A feasibility study found VicTrack wouldn’t allow for the trail, planned to run alongside the Murray Valley Highway, to pass over the railway line just outside of Swan Hill.
Heil Engineering Consultants, the company undertaking the study, will now look at the possibility of building a track adjacent to the Murray River, which was what locals had originally suggested during consultations, given its scenic value.
“The whole objective was to do a study before the council committed money to it — we’ve found a problem with the original track so we’re looking for alternatives,” said senior engineer Ryan Heil.
“We always knew that the Murray track was preferred by the community but we thought it would be problematic due to some logistical issues.”
Those issues included the need to consult with river-front stakeholders such as private and crown land-owners, and cultural heritage interests.
Mr Heil said he would consult with these stakeholders in the coming months, and hoped to wrap up the feasibility study by February.
The study was originally meant to conclude last Sunday.
