MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have unanimously approved an over-expenditure to complete the Somerville to Baxter Trail.
At the 27 October council meetings, councillors voted in approval of delivering a pedestrian underpass beneath Frankston-Flinders Rd; the last section of the trail to be delivered.
Cr Kate Roper, who moved the motion, said the community have been waiting decades for the link to be finished.
“Currently, the trail is 90 per cent finished, with the path ending abruptly approximately 50 metres from where the underpass is planned,” said Roper.
“[The underpass] would give the community a superior, safe way to continue along the path to Frankston, without having to navigate this dangerous road.”
The project was originally to be completed in late 2024.
The northern portion of the trail, stretching around 1.2kms between Baxter-Tooradin Rd and Golf Links Rd, opened in March (“Northern section of Somerville to Baxter Trail open”, The News, 15/03/26).
The full trail, including the underpass, was expected to be completed mid-year.
Roper said it has been continuously delayed by circumstances out of council’s control.
“First, by the state government requirement for a fence, adding almost $1m to the cost of the project,” said Roper.
“Despite requests, this was made mandatory, and this set the project back 12 months.”
The section of the trail was originally going to have a pedestrian-activated light crossing.
Roper said community consultation revealed safety concerns as the crossing would be on a curve on an 80kph road.
“Upon exploring this option, working with Metro Trains, as it was their land, an additional $1.5m was requested for upgrading a significant amount of the electrical wiring that operated the train boom gates, which is next to it,” said Roper.
“This was unacceptable to council. An alternative was sought, and the idea of an underpass was born.”
The contract over expenditure totals $820,283; however, the project already has some existing funds.
The budget shortfall is $662,000, with $312,000 set to be reallocated from the shire’s Capital Works Program and up to $350,000 provisioned from the shire’s operating budget.
“The community and our visitors have waited long enough for this to be finished,” said Roper.
“The design is done… this is a much more appropriate solution to a dangerous crossing and is ready to go and hopefully finished in early 2027.”
Cr Bruce Ranken said it’ll be a great asset for families, walkers, riders and kids getting to school.
“It’s the one piece that’s left and the most important one, getting people across that busy road,” said Ranken.
“[The underpass is] the safest outcome with no conflict between people and cars at all… it gives a direct connection, and the community and the Department of Transport support it.”
Ranken said it comes at an extra cost, but the alternative is a trail that stops at the edge of a busy highway or a crossing that’s less safe.
“Neither are acceptable,” said Ranken.
“This finishes the job properly and finishes it safely.”
Cr David Gill thanked Roper and Ranken for their continued persistence to complete the trail.
“I support all of the major paths being built on the peninsula; in particular I’d like to see the same sort of thing being affordable, and we now know about cost blowouts, but affordable for the great walks on the southern peninsula,” said Gill.
“The Cape Schanck to Sorrento and the other walks that would attract tourism and perhaps more than just a walk, but overnight stays.”
First published in the Mornington News – 3 November 2026
