Andrews government commits to building $10 billion North East Link

THE Andrews Government has committed to building the $10 billion North East Link.

THE Andrews Government has committed to building the $10 billion North East Link.

Premier Daniel Andrews this morning announced a $35 million business case for the project, “the missing link in Melbourne’s road network that will finally complete the Metropolitan Ring Rd”.

The toll road, expected to cost up to $10 billion and create more than 5000 direct jobs, will connect the Metropolitan Ring Road and the Eastern Freeway.

The project will be kickstarted with $35 million for the business case, consultation and route selection complete by 2018, and planning approval and tender processes beginning that year.

The government will not sign contracts before the election, with any contracts to be signed and work started under a re-elected Andrews Government.

North East Link. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Andrews said the project “was the missing link that will connect our city — and we will get it done”.

“When we build the missing link that completes the ring road, you’ll be able to drive from Ringwood to Tullamarine without stopping at a single traffic light,” Mr Andrews said.

Mr Andrews said the road could be complete within eight to ten years and the planning needed to start now.

A new expert North East Link Authority will be created to drive the project, overseen by the Victorian Coordinator General, under the same model used to build the Metro Tunnel, the Western Distributor, and the removal of level crossings.

The project will be funded by a mixture of government contributions and tolls, with final funding arrangements determined as part of the planning process.

Infrastructure Victoria identified the North East Link as Victoria’s top priority transport infrastructure project in its 30-year Infrastructure Strategy handed down on Thursday.

Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said: “Joining the ring road is a no brainier to take thousands of cars and trucks off local streets and congested freeways — but governments have put it in the too-hard basket for decades.”

“The Andrews Labor Government will build the North East Link — the only project that can actually slash congestion in Melbourne’s north, south, and east, while the Western Distributor fixes traffic in the west.”

RACV public policy general manager Brian Negus said the North East Link was the state’s top priority transport project and his organisation had been calling for it for many years.

“Our recent red spot survey just done earlier this year showed six of the top ten worst congested spots were clustered across the Eastern Freeway and five of them were on the routes that this particular project will solve,” Mr Negus said.

“These include Bulleen Road, Banksia Street Bridge, Rosanna Road and Greensborough Highway, and also Fitzsimmons Lane and Main Road through Eltham and Greensborough.

“The North East Link will address the severe congestion across the north east of Melbourne, provide a direct freight link from the freight centres around Dandenong and from the agricultural regions in Gippsland to the fruit and vegetable markets at Epping, and importantly address the critical safety issues along Rosanna Road.”

Opposition roads spokesman Ryan Smith said he was concerned about the lack of detail and he didn’t believe $35 million was enough for the business case.

Mr Smith said the road “needed to be done” but the Opposition was not yet in a position to make any commitment.

“Like many of the projects Daniel Andrews has announced in the past this is unfunded,” Mr Smith said.

“Talking about a project which has limited money for planning, an extended timeline and no money for actual construction is peculiar, and Victorians would be sitting scratching their heads wondering why the announcement has been made.”