$8.5b rail tunnel to rescue us from gridlock - HeraldSun

THE Brumby Government wants an $8.5 billion rail tunnel between Melbourne's west and southeast to get the city moving again.

The Herald Sun can reveal the 17km metro-style tunnel from Footscray to Caulfield will be the big ticket item in the Government's Innovative Transport Plan to be revealed early next month.

In its much-anticipated transport blueprint, the Government will also back construction of the Tarneit Link, a new rail line between West Werribee and Sunshine, costing $1.5 billion.

But the allocation of at least $5 billion in federal funding will determine when the rail tunnel can be built.

The Herald Sun believes the Brumby Government wants to start construction in about six years, in line with recommendations in international transport expert Sir Rod Eddington's East-West Needs Assessment report.

But concerns over whether Victoria will get its promised funding from the Rudd Government could delay the project for at least 10 years, causing chaos on our rail system...

Read the whole article at News.com.au

Interesting that it's being reported that the rail tunnel, and not the road tunnel, is now the big ticket item.

Also interesting to note that Sir Rod Eddington is on the board of News Corporation, who publish this newspaper.