What is it with Conservatives who position themselves as ‘great economic managers’, yet support infrastructure projects which a) have less than 50c return for each $1 spent, and b) will only further the traffic issues it is purported to solve?
The ‘West Gate Tunnel’ is equally a dud, and I’ll be interested to see how the North East Link turns out. That said, the aim should be to put as much freight on rail as possible, although I can’t see that happening even under the Andrews government.
And the bigger new generation cargo ships aren’t able to reach Swanson Dock, only Webb which is no longer connected to rail.
On your road points, as an eastern suburbs resident something needs to be done. I’d be all for EWLInk, and NE option A (unpopular in my area) and an outer ring to future proof. Oh and Doncaster rail.
The West Gate Tunnel is not a dud because Melbourne’s west urgently needs a second major crossing, so traffic can still move smoothly if there is a major crash on top of the West Gate Bridge for example. And the long suffering residents of Yarraville and Spotswood will see less trucks travelling on their streets.
If East West Link is to be revived it must be combined with Doncaster rail line.
Problem with major freeways is that car usage always rises to meet supply anyway, so no matter how many roads you build, you’ll still get congestion.
Realistically Melbourne should be aiming to expand its rail network for both passengers and freight, freeing up room on freeways. A single carriage can take something like 50 cars off the road.
Until they are willing to spend the money and time on expanding the tunnels (which will require construction, at lane availability now), increasing traffic volumes with lane expansions on approaching freeways (Monash/West Gate/Tulla/CBD), will just gridlock all approaches.
You’ll end up having infinity lanes, still grinding to a halt down to 3.
Both Channel Seven and Herald Sun reported tonight that the Victorian State Cabinet had given the go-ahead to the North East Link between Metropolitan Ring Road and Eastern Freeway. It had chosen the shortest route (option A) through Watsonia, Heidelberg and Bulleen for the toll road. The chosen 11km route with a 3.5-4 km tunnel means the city-bound traffic will share the same section of Eastern Freeway with cross-city traffic between Bulleen and Eastlink.
I live in the area of the chosen route and this will not be popular, also Matthew Guy’s electorate who will milk this for all it’s worth.
Personally, I’m in favour of this route, the traffic along arterial roads in this area is horrendous with much truck traffic travelling between the Eastern and Ring Rd.
I am also in favour of North East Link but not the Bulleen route, as it not only goes near the sensitive Banyule Parklands, but also the sports grounds of several private schools and the Boroondara Tennis Centre. Both City of Banyule and the nearby Shire of Nillumbik does not want the North East Link go through their area, so Banyule Council is unsurprisingly not happy with today’s news. Also, building it as a toll road will not divert trucks from existing suburban streets.
Be interesting to see what they come up with, anyone buying along that route in the last 50 years ought to have expected a freeway would come through at some point.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was on Jon Faine show on ABC Radio Melbourne this morning and confirmed option A (Bulleen route) is the preferred route for North East Link. Andrews said there would be entry points to a tunnel on Bulleen Road, at Banksia Street, Grimshaw Street and Lower Plenty Road. He also said the tunnel would be 5km long and the cost had blown out to $16.5 billion.
I preferred Option B as it generally follows the electricity transmission lines and avoid environmentally sensitive areas of Eltham and Research.
Did you know the route of Monash Freeway was chosen as it followed the transmission lines between Hawthorn and Mount Waverley which in turn created a wide road reserve?
Boroondara Mayor Jim Parke is not happy with the chosen route (not surprising given the tunnel entrance at Bulleen is a stone’s throw from Balwyn North which is in the council area) and he has plenty to say on his Twitter account (JimParke).
Boroondara’s boundary is Koonung Creek on the north side of the Eastern Fwy, so their tennis centre may be affected, I’d be keen to see these new plans with the tunnel under this area rather than at grade as was previously mooted.
Live and work in this area, the roads are diabolical with traffic going between the eastern and ring road.
I’m sorry for peoples houses being acquired, but this route has been public knowledge for almost 50 years. Bring it on.
I feel sorry for residents of Greensborough and Watsonia whose houses may be acquired for the North East Link project. Some have been living there for 40 years or more.
Looking at the preliminary design at the North East Link website, it looks as if a section of Greensborough Highway between the M80 Ring Road and Grimshaw Street will be converted into a toll road (similar to Monash Freeway between Punt Road and Toorak Road which became part of Citylink in 1997). That means if you are travelling from the north east on Diamond Creek Road, at the big roundabout with Greensborough Bypass you have two choices to avoid tolls:
continue south along Diamond Creek Road through Greensborough town centre
travel west along Greensborough Bypass, turn into M80 Ring Road, and exit at Plenty Road
Three days after announcing the chosen route of North East Link, Victorian Planning Minister Richard Wynne has approved the environmental effects statement of West Gate Tunnel project with modifications.
