Casey, Cardinia councils call for $500 million Monash Freeway upgrade to be sped up by Andrews Government

CONSTRUCTION of a $500 million upgrade to the Monash Freeway and key ­arterials in Melbourne’s southeast won’t start until next year, but councils say the area’s roads are at breaking point.

Morning peak hour traffic in the southeast. Picture: Nicole Garmston

CONSTRUCTION of a $500 million upgrade to the Monash Freeway and key ­arterials in Melbourne’s southeast won’t start until next year, but councils say the area’s roads are at breaking point.

The federal government announced the $500 million investment in April last year but just $4 million has been spent by the state government on a business case that won’t be finished until the end of this year.

Casey and Cardinia councils warn the area’s gridlocked roads need urgent upgrades, with motorists already facing a 45-minute commute to travel less than 2km along Clyde Rd on to the Princes Freeway.

They say the region’s population will be the same as ­Tasmania, with more than 500,000 residents, within 20 years.

Federal government sources believe the Andrews government is delaying the second stage of the Monash Freeway upgrade to coincide with next year’s election campaign.

“Even then, it’s another year away and planning would be another year after that,” Casey mayor Sam Aziz said.

“We cannot afford to delay much longer, and with two local Labor MPs, including one being the Roads Minister (Luke Donnellan), we shouldn’t really have to point that out to them.

“Instead, more than $1 billion has been thrown into roads upgrades in the western suburbs.”

Councils said the project should include a full diamond interchange at Beaconsfield, an extension of O’Shea Rd and the further widening of the Monash. La Trobe federal MP Jason Wood said the upgrade was crucial to developing ­Melbourne’s southeast as an innovation and advanced manufacturing hub.

“There is now $500 million of federal funding which has not been spent,” he said.

“Enough is enough. People are sick and tired of being stuck in traffic.”

Mr Donnellan said a federal-state steering group was looking at solutions “both on the Monash and also in the surrounding network” to “get the best deal for Victorians”.

“We want to get on with stage two as quickly as possible, but we’re going to make sure that we find the right solution to cut congestion on the Monash,” he said.

Work is already under way on the state government’s $400 million Monash widening between EastLink and Clyde Rd.

Cardinia Shire mayor Brett Owen said: “Local businesses are also impacted by increasing traffic and longer commute times, and local roads are ­impacted as commuters try to find alternative routes.”

TRANSPORT GROUP CHASES FUNDING

A BRIDGE over Eumemmerring Creek, improvements to Bangholme Rd, and upgrades to the Dandenong Creek Trail are on the wishlist of a transport lobby group.

Cr Roz Blades, the Greater Dandenong representative on the Eastern Transport Coalition, said the group was seeking funding for a range of projects.

“We know that a bridge over Eumemmerring Creek and work on Bangholme Rd — such as on- and off- ramps to EastLink — are crucial projects to improve travel times for commuters and freight in the Greater Dandenong area,” Cr Blades said.

The ETC launched its Commuters Count campaign this week.

Chairman Peter Lockwood said there were 49 projects that member councils, including Greater Dandenong, had identified.

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