Melbourne’s worst roads — our readers give their nominations

THREE words guaranteed to open a can of worms — Melbourne’s worst roads. You’ve added your nominations to the ever-growing list.

Road Rage Generic. Driver gives "The Finger:"

THREE words guaranteed to open a can of worms — Melbourne’s worst roads.

And what a can we opened when Leader reporter Peter Strachan this morning shared his painstakingly slow 34-minute journey along the 12km stretch of Thompsons Rd, between EastLink and South Gippsland Highway.

RELATED: Is this Melbourne’s worst stretch of road?

According to you, that’s actually not too bad. You’ve nominated at lightning speed (much faster than the average journey in Melbourne peak takes) a long list of other less-than-desirable roads which drive you mad.

So what’s to be done? The State Government’s scrapping of the East West Link has some hot under the collar. Reader Craig says: “All these comments indicate that government spending on roads is well behind population growth and urban sprawl! That makes spending $1 billion to NOT build a road even more absurd! Where do our car registration, rates and traffic fines go if it’s not to build road infrastructure?”

According to Rose, “Melbourne needs both a FULL Ring Road and BOTH INNER and OUTER Railway Lines. As a desperate John Cain sold off land reserved for the Outer Ring Railway, it would be bad news for many homeowners now ... currently, the city is the centre of a wheel of roads and railways that run along the spokes, and cops the lot! No avoidance routes.”

Steve says: “The answer is elevated roads like CityLink. Just build them. Flemington Rd to Eastern Fwy, Hoddle St etc. Works overseas but no doubt the clowns in this town would oppose them just like they opposed the desperately needed east/west tunnel.”

Here we present your suggestions for Melbourne’s worst roads — by no means an exhaustive list.

Plenty Rd, around Whittlesea, Doreen, Mernda, and South Morang

Cars bank at the intersection of Plenty Childs roads, Mill Park.

Eastern Freeway Hoddle St exit: “34 mins gets you 6km some mornings (40% of the time) — the jam sometimes spans all the way to Doncaster Rd,” says Samuel.

Federal Budget - Traffic. Eastern Freeway exit to Hoddle Street. Picture: Mark Stewart

Flemington to the start of the Eastern Freeway after 4.30pm: “Always at least an hour, sometimes 90 minutes,” says Rose.

Jan says: “My family lives in the Warrandyte Kangaroo Ground area. We have huge delays to get across a bridge at the Yarra River each morning and night. Even longer delays than this reporter had on his journey.! This page is great to vent our frustrations, but NOTHING is being done to fix the huge need for Melbourne’s roads to be upgraded, and the ring road finished. POLLIES are getting in our way with their party politics.”

Adds Steve: “Flemington Rd to Eastern Fwy. Worst in Melbourne and no respite in site thanks to Dan the financial wiz cancelling the project to fix this. Seriously, this is the only thoroughfare from the east to the airport and takes 40 mins during peak, and a single lane past the Zoo. Laughable.”

Grange Rd, Fairfield, over the Chandler Bridge onto Princess St, Kew, took reader Valerie more than an hour to travel 11km.

n11ppracv a1 RACV Chief Engineer Traffic and Roads, Peter Daly at RACV Redspot - Chandler Highway bridge, from Kew to Alphington - Picture: RICHARD WALKER 060906

Tullamarine Freeway inbound and outbound around peak times, “But only since some moron removed one of our lanes from the Bolte Bridge to the West Gate ... often takes me over an hour to drive 20km down the freeway,” says Andy.

Hoddle Street/Punt Rd

Western Ring Road

Bell St

Yan Yean Rd, Doreen: Veronica says: “Heading into work on weekdays takes me 35 minutes to travel 10km to Diamond Creek Rd. It is driving me insane.” Adds Greg: “2km between Cookes Rd and Orchard Rd—- 20 minutes. 2km from Plenty Gorge Park to Ironbark Rd — 15 minutes. This happens every morning!”

“Still doesn’t beat the 1 hour 53 Min to go 24km from Camberwell to Newport on a Friday afternoon,” says Richard.

“Sydney Rd is the longest short road in Melbourne! It’s taken an hour for 4km in peak hour,” says Bronson.

Sayers, Leakes or Dohertys roads from Hoppers Crossing to Laverton. Damian says: “All are single lane roads with two going to the Kororoit Creek Rd freeway entrance, has been that way for 20 years and with this area being the fastest growing in Victoria, no town planning to duplicate in the near future! So much for safe Labor seat and things not getting done! The same goes for Point Cook Rd, Palmers Rd and Forsythe Rd for the Point Cook residents — just madness.”

Traffic in the suburbs, build up of traffic in Point Cook Rd

Angelo adds: “Should try Leakes Rd in Tarneit. The stretch of road between Derrimut Rd and Palmers Rd (only about 4km to 5km) takes 20 mins if you hit it after 6am on a weekday.”

St Kilda Rd outside Arts Centre to Flinders St can sometimes take 20 minutes, says Lisa. “It’s around 300 metres at most.”

What do you think is Melbourne’s worst road? Leave your comments below.