Frankston’s front door: Why our gateways need attention
Published on 10 June 2026
When people arrive in Frankston, the journey matters. Whether it’s residents coming home from work, families heading to school or sport, or visitors arriving for the first time, those first impressions help shape how the city feels from the outset.
That’s why improving the presentation, safety and function of major road corridors and city gateways is a key priority under Council’s Frankston City First advocacy campaign ahead of this year’s State Election.
Community feedback continues to highlight that welcoming entry points and well-maintained roads are about more than infrastructure — they influence pride in place, confidence in the city and everyday liveability.
Many of Frankston’s busiest entry roads and freeway approaches are State-managed and used daily by residents, students, workers, businesses and visitors. Through the Frankston City First agenda, Council is advocating to the Victorian Government for greater investment to improve the condition, safety and presentation of these important corridors. This includes roadside maintenance, landscaping, graffiti management, clearer signage and safer connections for all road users.
Council estimates that the cost to replace the glass panels on the Frankston Freeway above the Beach Street underpass would be approximately $1.3M, with the lighting and landscaping on the underpass estimated at $700,000.
We’re also asking the Victorian Government to increase recurrent funding to address maintenance and repairs across state-owned and managed roads, median strips, gateways, bridges, sound walls, and rail stations.
Long-time Frankston City resident and community leader Trudy Poole (Past President of Rotary Peninsula 2.0, Board Member of the Committee for Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula, Frankston Citizen of the Year 2022 and Volunteer of the Year 2016) says some of the city’s key entry points don’t currently reflect its true character or potential.
“Driving into Frankston along the freeway, the deteriorating condition of the roadside is becoming increasingly hard to ignore,” she said.
“What should be a welcoming gateway instead presents a stretch of neglected verges, litter build up and poorly maintained barriers, all compounded by an overwhelming spread of graffiti. Walls, signs and infrastructure are repeatedly tagged, creating an impression of disorder and disregard for the area.
“For residents and visitors alike, this visual decline undermines community pride and raises questions about upkeep and accountability. Without more consistent maintenance and targeted efforts to address vandalism, this key entry point risks continuing to project an image that does not reflect the true character or potential of Frankston.”
Through Frankston City First, Council is advocating for a more coordinated and consistent approach to improving State-managed roads and gateways. This includes treatments that clearly signal arrival into Frankston City, safer and better-connected road corridors, and upgrades that support walking and cycling — particularly shared user paths around schools, neighbourhoods and activity centres.
These priorities align with Council’s broader commitment to building a safer, more accessible and better-connected city, while working collaboratively with the Victorian Government to deliver improvements that cannot be achieved by Council alone.
By continuing to prioritise better-presented gateways and roads, Council is focused on ensuring Frankston feels welcoming from the moment people arrive — and that the city’s front door reflects the pride, care and potential of the community who call it home.
Ahead of this year’s State election, ask your Frankston, Carrum, and Hastings candidates to put Frankston City First. Find out more: Frankston City First - Frankston City Council.