Andrews Government’s $10 billion North East Link not yet funded

THE Andrews Government’s promise to build a $10 billion toll road through Melbourne’s northeast has not yet been funded.

THE Andrews Government’s promise to build a $10 billion toll road through Melbourne’s northeast has not yet been funded.

The North East Link, connecting the Metropolitan Ring Road and the Eastern Freeway, will be jointly funded by the government and the private sector, but the government is not yet able to provide the breakdown.

Andrews government commits to building $10 billion North East Link

Planning for the project will begin in the new year after Premier Daniel Andrews committed $35 million towards a business case.

The Turnbull Government has already provided $15 million for planning and has not ruled out funding the project, while the state Opposition conceded the project “needs to be done”.

The business case, consultation and route selection will be completed by 2018, planning approval and tender processes will begin later that year and contracts will be signed straight after the 2018 election — if the Andrews Government is re-elected.

The business case, consultation and route selection for the North East Link will be completed by 2018

The commitment of taking the project to an election is designed to avoid a repeat of the East West Link debacle, when the Andrews Government wasted $1.1 billion dumping the project after the Napthine government signed the contracts before the 2014 election.

The toll road is expected to cost up to $10 billion and create more than 5000 direct jobs. Mr Andrews said the road was expected to take between eight and 10 years to build but it could be completed sooner.

“It’s putting that missing link to connect EastLink, the Eastern Freeway, with Greensborough Bypass, the M80 Ring Rd,” Mr Andrews said.

“If we are returned for a second term, if we are given that greatest of gifts for a second time, we will sign those contracts, construction will begin on this road in 2019.”

The road is expected to include a major tunnel, with Mr Andrews saying it will use “the most advanced tunnelling technology available anywhere in the world”.

Multiple route options are expected to be canvassed as part of the business case, including via Kangaroo Ground and Chirnside Park, through Eltham and Warrandyte, or via Watsonia.

The toll road is expected to cost up to $10 billion and create more than 5000 direct jobs. Picture: Brendan Francis

An expert North East Link Authority will be created to drive the project, overseen by the Victorian Co-ordinator- General under the same model used to build the Metro Tunnel, the Western Distributor and level crossing removals.

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 10 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.

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.

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

@Gallo_Ways