Tunnel(s) back on the agenda? - TheAge

What goes around, comes around, eh?

A TUNNEL from the Eastern Freeway to the Tullamarine Freeway will be considered by the Baillieu government as part of an infrastructure plan ordered by Treasurer Kim Wells, following widespread criticism that Victoria is not planning major projects.

Mr Wells has ordered his department to urgently get to work on an infrastructure plan for Victoria after being warned the state is at risk of losing billions of dollars of investment and thousands of skilled workers to New South Wales and Queensland.

The Age believes the government will reconsider a range of transport projects flagged by the previous government, including an east-west road tunnel from the Eastern Freeway to the Tullamarine Freeway, a metro rail tunnel from Footscray to St Kilda Road, and a ''missing link'' connection between the Metropolitan Ring Road and the Eastern Freeway.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/wells-plans-to-fix-projects-dilemma-20110626-1gltm.html#ixzz1QRiNcm8w

Funding for road upgrade brought forward - TheAge

The $2.25 billion upgrade to Melbourne's Western Ring Road will commence six months ahead of schedule to help boost the national economy during the global financial crisis, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.

The overall upgrade will add extra lanes and enhance traffic management systems and improve traffic flow on the 38 kilometre road between the Princes Freeway in Laverton North and the Greensborough Freeway, Greensborough.

In Melbourne on Saturday, Mr Rudd said the federal government committed $900 million at the last election towards the project and has brought forward $5 million in the 2008-09 budget for construction to begin immediately.

The early works will commence on the extra Altona-bound lane from the Deer Park Bypass to Boundary Road and is expected to be complete by mid-2009.

Mr Rudd said bringing the project forward was important stimulus for the economy during the financial crisis.

"Good infrastructure, but also at a time like this, (is) a good investment in the national economy," he said.

Victorian Premier John Brumby said his government was delighted with the announcement.

"This road, which so many Victorians use every day, will be immeasurably improved by the bringing forward of funding and the substantial investment that we are partnering together today," Mr Brumby said.

The road currently carries up to 142,000 vehicles a day, of which 16 per cent is freight traffic.

The upgrade is also expected to help improve safety for motorists on a road that has seen nine fatal and 750 casualty crashes in the past five years.

Read the original article at TheAge.com.au

Secret poll on extended, tolled Metro ring road - News.com.au

John Ferguson
August 18, 2008 12:00am

THE State Government is discreetly polling the electorate about extending the Metropolitan Ring Road through prized bushland.

Multi-storey housing developments in the outer suburbs is another topic for pollsters.

Voters are being asked about the impact of extending the ring road from Greensborough to join EastLink or the Eastern Freeway, despite key Labor MPs having opposed the move in the past.

If adopted, a road extension from Greensborough to Ringwood through the green wedge area could lead to the compulsory acquisition of homes in Diamond Creek, Eltham and Warrandyte, and the alienation of parkland.

...

A government spokesman said the polling was part of preparing this year's transport strategy and an extension to the ring road was being ruled neither in nor out.

"And as the idea has been raised in several submissions to the Eddington report it has been included in our consultations," he said.

The Government is reportedly investigating two options for extending the ring road -- one a 6km link from Greensborough to the Eastern Freeway, the other a massive road project from Greensborough to EastLink, joining at Ringwood.

A shorter option, from Greensborough to the Eastern Freeway via Bulleen Rd, has been backed by local Labor MP Craig Langdon.

The Government's telephone polling was leaked after a Liberal Party figure was surveyed at his home.

Mr Guy said the Government had also sought voter sentiment on:

• REMOVING trucks from streets in the inner west.
• AN 18km cross-city connection.
• A 17km rail tunnel between the west and southeast.
• DEVELOPING an outer ring road.

The Government asked voters to reveal how they felt about multi-storey buildings in their local areas, and how they felt about multi-storey buildings in outer-suburban Melbourne.

Planning is a crucial issue among many voters, with the Government attempting to determine how the electorate would accept multi-storey housing in the outer suburbs around public transport, allowing the Government to capitalise on land close to existing infrastructure.

Read the whole article at News.com.au

Brumby eyes ring road 'missing link' - TheAge.com.au

Paul Austin
August 18, 2008

PREMIER John Brumby has commissioned taxpayer-funded polling to gauge public reaction to the prospect of the Government building the contentious "missing link" in Melbourne's ring road.

Mr Brumby's department has engaged market research firm I-view to assess voters' views on a range of controversial projects he is considering for inclusion in a multibillion-dollar plan to tackle Melbourne's road and public transport congestion.

The telephone survey asks people their opinion on suggestions that the Metropolitan Ring Road be extended from Greensborough to the EastLink tollway at Ringwood, through some of the city's most environmentally sensitive areas.

...

Mr Brumby said last month that several groups had been lobbying the Government to include the "missing link" in the transport blueprint.

"But it's a very difficult issue because if you're to build that link it goes through some very sensitive areas of parkland," he said. "And you'd need to look at things like tunnels and so on to preserve the environment."

The RACV, the Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Victorian Freight and Logistics Council are among influential lobby groups that hope Mr Brumby announces a plan to complete the ring road as part of his pre-Christmas transport statement.

The I-view survey is also asking people their views on the two main proposals in Sir Rod Eddington's report to the Government: an 18-kilometre road tunnel linking the Eastern Freeway with CityLink and the Ring Road; and a 17-kilometre rail tunnel from Footscray to Caulfield via the CBD and St Kilda Road.

Read the whole article at TheAge.com.au