Roads in Melbourne’s southeast, north to be fixed in $2.2 billion State Budget road blitz

CLOGGED suburban roads will be the target of a $2.2 billion State Budget spending splurge, with 13 arterial routes to be fixed in seats that will be targeted heavily ahead of this year’s state election. SEE WHERE UPGRADES WILL OCCUR

EXCLUSIVE: Clogged suburban roads will be the target of a $2.2 billion State Budget spending splurge.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal 13 arterial routes will be fixed in the southeast and the north of Melbourne, in a bid to save motorists time and tackle growing congestion hot spots.

Premier Daniel Andrews will on Sunday announce plans to upgrade the roads within five years, through two separate public-private partnerships.

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“We’d all rather spend more time with family and friends than stuck in traffic — that’s why we’re fixing the suburban roads people rely on every day,” Mr Andrews said.

“This will slash travel times, improve connections between our fastest-growing communities and give local roads back to local residents.”

Sunbury Rd is among the motorways to be fixed. Picture: Adam Elwood

The new spending comes on top of a $1.8 billion package of works on nine roads in Melbourne’s west already under construction, and which were funded in last year’s Budget.

A new body called the Major Road Projects Authority will be created to oversee the $4 billion investment, as well as almost $11 billion of other road upgrades planned across Victoria.

Some of the changes motorists will see include:

DUPLICATING Craigieburn Rd from Mickleham Rd to the Hume Freeway.

WIDENING Sunbury Rd between Powlett St and Bulla-Diggers Rest Rd from two to four lanes.

A BRIDGE built over the Cranbourne rail line as part of a 2km upgrade of Pound Rd West and Remington Drive.

A NEW bridge over Peninsula Link in Seaford as part of a Lathams Rd upgrade.

A 4KM section of Narre Warren-Cranbourne Rd duplicated between Thompsons Rd and the South Gippsland Highway, from one lane to two lanes in each direction.

Traffic congestion on the South Gippsland Highway. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

Stage two of the Yan Yean Rd upgrade will also be delivered as part of the package, widening Yan Yean Rd from two to four lanes between Bridge Inn and Kurrak roads.

Suburban congestion has worsened in recent years as Melbourne’s population has exploded. Figures released last week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the city will be home to five million people by the end of the year.

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Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said the Budget measure “is the single-biggest investment in suburban roads in Victoria’s history”.

The Budget will be handed down on Tuesday by Treasurer Tim Pallas and will include new spending measures but also reserve cash in surpluses for the November state election campaign.

Several seats to be targeted heavily this year are in southeast of Melbourne, including Cranbourne, Narre Warren South, and Carrum where roads are being upgraded.

Cranbourne resident of 50 years, Shirley Venville, welcomes an upgrade to lessen her anxiety every time she gets in the car. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

THE LIST OF UPGRADES

MELBOURNE’S NORTH:

• Duplicate Craigieburn Rd between Mickleham Rd and Hume Freeway in Craigieburn

• Widening Sunbury Rd from two lanes to four between Powlett St and Bulla-Diggers Rest Rd in Sunbury

• Duplicating Bridge Inn Rd between Plenty Rd and Yan Yean Rd and Yan Yean Rd between between Kurrak and Bridge Inn roads in Doreen

• Duplicating Epping Rd from two to four lanes between Craigieburn Rd East and Memorial Ave

• Upgrading three intersections at Main Rd, Porter St and Foote St on Fitzsimons Lane in Eltham

• Duplicating Childs Rd in Mill Park from Beaumont Crescent to Prince of Wales Ave

MELBOURNE’S SOUTHEAST:

• Duplicating Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Rd in Pakenham from two to four lanes between Princes Freeway and Manks Rd

• Duplicating Narre Warren-Cranbourne Rd in Cranbourne from two to four lanes between Thompsons Rd and South Gippsland Hwy

• Duplicating Lathams Rd in Seaford from two to four lanes between Oliphant Way and Dandenong-Frankston Rd, including a new bridge over Peninsula Link

• Widening Pound Rd West/Remington Drive in Dandenong South from two to four lanes between Abbotts Rd and South Gippsland Highway, with a new bridge over the Cranbourne rail line

• Duplicating Hallam North Rd from two to four lanes between Heatherton Rd and James Cook Drive

• Intersection and road safety upgrades on Golf Links Rd from Peninsula Link to Baxter-Tooradin Rd and Grant Rd from Baxter-Tooradin to Frankston-Flinders roads in Langwarrin South

• Upgrading two intersections with traffic lights on Thompsons Rd in Cranbourne

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