Melbourne roadworks headache: Drivers to be stuck more than ever before

MELBURNIANS are facing 18 months of commuting pain as Victoria’s biggest-ever infrastructure overhaul kicks into gear and have been told to prepare for “very significant disruption”.

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MELBURNIANS are facing 18 months of commuting pain as Victoria’s biggest-ever infrastructure overhaul kicks into gear.

Commuters are being told to prepare for “very significant disruption” on metropolitan roads, trams and trains as a construction program, lasting until late next year, begins on July 1.

The program includes the widening of the CityLink Tullamarine Freeway, the streamlining of Hoddle St, and upgrades of the M80 Ring Road, Monash Freeway and Swan St Bridge.

And continued level-crossing removals will cause long-term delays on tram routes and divert train commuters on to buses.

Major construction will start next year on the West Gate Tunnel project.

Also on the drawing board are the Mordialloc Bypass, not due to be built until late 2021, and eight road projects in the outer western suburbs.

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But the government has been warned that still more needs to be done to repair roads around Victoria.

Auditor-General Andrew Greaves said that by 2025 half of the state’s roads would be in “very poor” condition, putting lives at risk.

“The state road network, in very poor condition, presents a growing risk to public safety, and increases road-user costs,’’ he wrote.

In March, the Herald Sun revealed that speed limits were being slashed on major roads statewide, as VicRoads struggled to maintain the network.

RACV roads and traffic manager Dave Jones said there had already been an increasing number of reports of vehicles driving on the wrong side of the road to avoid road damage. Some were “trucks crossing double white lines to avoid defects”.

“There could be serious injuries or deaths if we don’t maintain the network,’’ Mr Jones said.

He renewed calls for a $1.2 billion emergency package to repair the worst roads.

More than 1.1 million people a day drive vehicles to work, and an extra 83,000 people travel as passengers.

More than 1.1 million people a day drive vehicles to work in Melbourne, and an extra 83,000 people travel as passengers. Picture: Mark Stewart

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But the number of people using the road network is expected to skyrocket.

Melbourne’s population is growing by more than 2000 people a week.

Acknowledging the Auditor-General’s report, Vic­Roads chief executive John Merritt said: “Much of the 23,000 kilometres of Victoria’s arterial road network was built in the years immediately following WWII.

“In the 1940s and ’50s, a 40-tonne truck was one of the largest vehicles on the road. But today, those same roads could be carrying vehicles over 80 tonnes.

“The Victorian economy has changed significantly since many of our roads were built,” he said.

“With Melbourne’s rapid growth and the changing transport needs in regional Victoria to support new and emerging industries, there is much more demand on road infrastructure,” he said.

Mr Merritt said VicRoads was delivering projects that would tackle congestion and increase capacity.

“Melbourne is growing faster than any other city in Australia. That’s why we’re doing more roadworks than ever before,” he said.

“We know disruption can be frustrating, but we need to get this done to keep up with our growing population,” Mr Merritt said.

Melburnians are facing 18 months of commuting pain as Victoria’s biggest-ever infrastructure overhaul kicks into gear. Picture: David Smith

The average time for a 15-minute commute in Melbourne is around 35 minutes each way during peak hour.

But if nothing is done to ease congestion that is forecast to blow out to 63 minutes by 2030.

Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said roads had been underfunded by the previous government.

But he said the government’s infrastructure plan would bring benefits to Melbourne for decades to come.

Mr Donnellan said he understood that disruption could be frustrating.

“We need to get this work done, and without these major projects our city would grind to a halt,” Mr Donnellan said.

“We’re doing everything we can to minimise delays and keep people informed how construction works will affect their travel, so they can plan their trip in advance,” the minister said.

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@AndyJeffo