General News
26 January, 2026
Costly lines as vehicles stopped parking outside store
A STORE owner has lost an estimated $4000 in sales after major traffic disruptions on her two busiest days of the week.
Marong General Store’s Rochelle Brook had safety cones preventing customers parking outside her Calder Highway business on Friday morning.
She said no notice had been given of when work to paint turning lanes at the intersecton of Calder Highway and the Calder Alternate would start.
“Originally they said it would be done last June and then they just turned on Thursday,” she said as traffic continued to bank up in all directions the next day.
“The first I really heard about it happening on Thursday was secondhand two nights before.
“Why didn’t they do it at night like happens in other places.”
Rochelle said the intersection was dangerous but doubted turning lanes would fix the problem.
“There’s still the sweeping bend coming onto the Calder Highway,” she said.
A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said: “Dedicated right turning lanes have been added to boost safety for everyone turning in and out of the Calder Alternative Highway and High Street by separating turning traffic from through traffic.
“Planned works were undertaken between January 15-16 to align with project scheduling and lower traffic volumes over the school holidays.
“These line marking works were completed as part of upgrades for the region.
The works at this site were scheduled during daylight hours to allow for works to be undertaken safely.
“There were no restrictions to parking and access to businesses was maintained throughout the duration of the works.”
Rochelle said the line marking had caused long delays on both days between 7am and 5pm.
“At one stage, there were 10 road trains waiting for their turn to move. This is a major route,” she said.
“We should be compensated for the loss of trade,” an angry Rochelle told the Loddon Herald.
- CHRIS EARL