West Gate Tunnel project gets planning tick

SOME Yarraville homes will be voluntarily acquired to make way for the $5.5 billion West Gate Tunnel project which was given the green light today. The government has denied there will be a 14-hour a-day peak in North Melbourne when the road is open.

THE Planning Minister has given a green light to the West Gate Tunnel project.

The $5.5 billion project, to be built with Transurban, is one step closer after Planning Minister Richard Wynne signed off on its 10,000 page Environmental Effects Statement.

‘SERIOUS CONCERNS’ OVER PLANNING FOR MELBOURNE’S WEST GATE TUNNEL PROJECT

Mr Wynne recommended that homes on Hyde Street, Yarraville be acquired, after the residents there asked to be bought up.

The government stressed that any acquisitions would be voluntary.

It is predicted the small pocket of homes will have an extra 1600 fuel tankers travel past their homes when the project is built.

The Planning Minister has given a green light to the West Gate Tunnel project. Artist Impression.

The inbound tunnel entrance. Artist impression.

The toll road project will expand the West Gate Freeway to 12 lanes and also tunnel under Yarraville to link the West Gate to CityLink.

Transurban will pay about $3.8 billion of the costs of building the road in exchange for the road’s tolling revenue and an extension to its contract on CityLink.

Mr Wynne has also supported the proposal to move the V/Line stabling yards north of Southern Cross station.

This would allow the Wurundjeri Way extension to connect with Dynon Road to be lowered to just above ground level.

MELBOURNE WATER FEARS IMPACT OF WEST GATE TUNNEL BRIDGE

MORE NOISE BARRIERS FOR WEST GATE TUNNEL PROJECT

Mr Wynne also supported further investigation of traffic impacts of the project in that area around North Melbourne, West Melbourne and Docklands.

The City of Melbourne modelling had said the project would lead create peak-hour style traffic for 14 hours in some North Melbourne streets.

But Mr Wynne said the proposal would only lead to a moderate increase in that area and the extra traffic study will assess the best ways to deal with that rise.

FEWER TRUCKS TO USE MILLERS RD UNDER WEST GATE TUNNEL PLAN

An artist impression of noise walls for the West Gate Tunnel project.

But Mr Wynne rejected a request to install tunnel filtration, insisting it would do little to improve air quality.

He said ventilation stacks would be built into the tunnel which could allow more advanced filtration systems to be added in the future.

Mr Wynne has recommended the project’s scope be expanded to Millers Rd and noise barriers be installed there.

Thousands of extra trucks would be funnelled down Millers Road as the project is built. Mr Wynne has also ordered the government retain control of a “city access charge” to be collected at the projects’ Dynon Rd exit.

Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said traffic flow to the city would be “moderate and manageable.”

The project is due to start next year and open in 2022.