Government to push ahead with major new road for city’s west
A MAJOR new road to take 6000 trucks off Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge has been announced.
ABOUT 20 minutes will be slashed off the morning commute for some Victorians in a major new road development.
But commuters will have to wait at least four years until they are free of the morning bottleneck congestion.
The Andrews Government today announced a $5.5 billion Western Distributor Project, which includes upgrades that will ease the pressure on Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge, a vital link between the CBD and western suburbs.
Minister for Roads Luke Donnellan said the Western Distributor would take 22,000 vehicles a day off the West Gate Bridge, including up to 6,000 trucks.
It is expected building will begin in 2018 and finish in 2022.
The project will:
● Widen the West Gate Freeway from eight to 12 lanes between the M80 and Williamstown Rd
● Build a second river crossing over the Maribyrnong River
● Create a link to the Port of Melbourne
● Build a new cycling and pedestrian path.
Premier Daniel Andrews said it was an outstanding project and the numbers stacked up, “even on the most of conservative measures”.
“So strong is this project we are very pleased to give you all the details in a transparent way,” he said.
The Premier expects the project will provide a benefit of $1.30 for every dollar spent and would provide 5600 jobs.
Mr Andrews said there would be a state contribution towards the road.
That would be at least the value of the Monash Freeway widening, which will cost about $400 million.
Treasurer Tim Pallas said there was more than $400 million put aside for a previous Western Distributor plan, and that could be drawn down on.
Mr Andrews said further updates would be made in March next year.
The proposal for the Western Distributor was made by tolling giant Transurban, and was initially for a road and tunnel to run from the West Gate Freeway to CityLink.
Transurban chief executive Scott Charlton said cars would pay about $3 to travel in the new road — about the same cost as travelling over the Bolte Bridge.
Trucks would pay about $13, Mr Charlton said.
The Andrews Government has been assessing the proposal, which was to be funded through an extension to Transurban’s CityLink deed, tolls, and federal government funding.
The proposed road is an alternative Yarra crossing.
Plans for the new road were announced in April and have been undergoing department scrutiny.
In September a revised plan was revealed showed the length of the tunnel was to be reduced by between 500m and 1km and off-ramps for trucks carrying dangerous goods were to be built behind Hyde and Francis St rising above hundreds of homes, businesses and parkland in South Kingsville, Yarraville and Spotswood.
Mr Charlton said there was still work to be done on finalising access routes.
Joined with the Monash upgrade he said the project addressed many of Melbourne’s congestion issues.
Transurban’s CityLink concession will be extended as part of the project, while the rest of the funding will come from tolling and federal and state contributions.
The extension to the CityLink deed is not finalised, but is likely to be 10-12 years.
Premier Daniel Andrews defended the decision to endorse the extension, saying motorists in the southeast will benefit from other road upgrades to be done.
This includes a widening of the Monash Freeway.
matthew.johnston@news.com.au
Originally published as Government to push ahead with major new road for city’s west