Start date confirmed for West Gate Tunnel traffic mitigation project — four months after vehicle surge

Work to fix inner city traffic woes ahead of the West Gate Tunnel project opening has failed to launch — with an embarrassing start date confirmed after the tunnel opens.

Work is set to begin on the first major traffic scheme in the city’s inner north and west to mitigate the influx of vehicles from the West Gate Tunnel – four months after the major project opens.

The first steps in creating a linear park and changed traffic flow on Hawke St, West Melbourne, will now start in March after the expected tunnel opening in November.

The project comes from the $100m Transport Amenity Program which was set up seven years ago to alleviate the traffic impact on local streets from the West Gate Tunnel.

But as the Herald Sun revealed, the program, funded jointly by the City of Melbourne and the state government, had failed to provide any traffic mitigation project in North and West Melbourne since it was announced in 2018.

Hawke St, West Melbourne, has become a main thoroughfare for westsiders travelling into the city.

Just $10.7m of the funds had been spent, most in the CBD on projects such as bike lanes and tram infrastructure. Even in this year’s budget, the council is spending millions from the TAP fund on works in Franklin St near the Queen Victoria Market.

The Hawke St project was first proposed in the 2018 West Melbourne Structure Plan.

But it has stalled since the council approved the design concept two years ago.

Modelling shows 5000 more vehicles a day travelling along Hawke St when the tunnel opens, with thousands of extra cars expected in Victoria St, Curzon St and Dryburgh St.

Residents say they have been short-changed and that the looming traffic surge will cause chaos in neighbourhood streets.

Mary Masters from the North and West Melbourne Association says the council has failed to deliver any tangible solutions to the traffic problems, Picture: Tony Gough

North and West Melbourne Association spokeswoman Mary Masters told councillors that residents were promised enhanced streetscapes, open space, and traffic calming.

“Seven years later, the tunnel is nearly finished — but council has delivered nothing tangible. Not one justifiable mitigation project. Not one feasibility study.’’

A total of 19 budget submissions were lodged with the council over the TAP shortfall.

Nick Reece said that since becoming Lord Mayor, he learnt more about the TAP program.

“I find it extremely frustrating that delays have been experienced. Please know that not a week goes by in this place (Town Hall) without some very strong advocacy to the state to try and find progress on this.

“I know it’s a source of great frustration here at Town Hall that we have not been able to see progress on some of these joint projects.

“I think Hawke St is the absolute top priority that we need to see some progress on soon.

“And if I have to get out there and start with the works myself, I’ll do so. We absolutely bloody need to get that started.’’

Premier Jacinta Allan last week said the remaining $80m in TAP funding would be held until after the West Gate Tunnel opens, so future changes can be “informed” by how traffic behaves.

But Ms Masters said the statement was “an admission of a complete failure to do proper traffic modelling, despite having seven years to do so’’.

Originally published as Start date confirmed for West Gate Tunnel traffic mitigation project — four months after vehicle surge