City Council mayor Robert Anderson took Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford on a tour of Liebig Street’s restaurant end on Thursday to view the progress.

Cr Anderson said it was only Warrnambool’s winter weather holding the project up now. Line marking is expected to be complete in the next couple of days, and then the road will reopen.

“We’re about 10 weeks roughly (ahead of schedule),” Cr Anderson said.

“I’d say about a week (until it is complete).”

“We’ve just got to finish it off with some furniture and some other bits and pieces, but the main thing is to get the street open.”

Cr Anderson said stage two of the $18 million revamp, which came in $3 million over budget, had run smoothly.

“Generally, people have seen the work, stage two has been done a different way, it’s proved to be successful and I think the contractors have learnt as well,” he said.

“The quality of the work is sensational, really good.

“I think the gain is bigger than the pain we’ve been through and with the holiday season coming it’s just going to really make the whole town vibrant.”

The state government contributed $5 million to the project and Ms Pulford said the CBD renewal was expected to attract more than $38 million in private investment through new retail and trading opportunities. “The result will be a city centre that is vibrant, attractive, more pedestrian and cycle-friendly and accessible to all,” she said.

“Warrnambool businesses are looking at a bright future with the CBD upgrade set to attract more people into town to shop, dine and catch up with friends and importantly, spend locally.”

Upgrades to the CBD began in January 2017 and supported more than 390 jobs during construction work.

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