Big Build Victoria Continues Construction

Big Build Victoria

Big Build, media release, Victoria,

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Big Build Victoria Continues Congestion Busting In The South East

Big Build Victoria continues to create thousands of jobs across Melbourne’s booming south east, through record investment in transport infrastructure projects that connect communities and get Victorians where they need to go safer and sooner.

The Mordialloc Freeway recently passed the halfway mark and when finished will play a key role in easing congestion by connecting the Mornington Peninsula Freeway and the Dingley Bypass. By this time next year, with construction complete, up to 13,000 trucks will be removed from local roads and travel times will improve by up to ten minutes during peak travel times.

As part of the project, bridges will be built over Springvale, Governor, Lower Dandenong and Centre Dandenong Roads, along with new freeway entry and exit ramps.

A bridge will also be built over Old Dandenong Road to keep it open for Dingley Village residents, and a twin bridge will be built over sensitive wetlands to ensure rainfall and natural light reaches the vegetation below.

Drivers will also benefit from Stage 2 of the Monash Freeway by adding an extra 36km of lanes and utilises smart traffic management systems to keep vehicles moving to and from the CBD and further across to Melbourne’s west.

Big Build Victoria projects are working together to transform busy and congested traffic hotspots into efficient transport corridors by removing level crossings and upgrading roads that delay people and businesses as they move around the south-east.

The Thompsons Road Upgrade, completed in mid-2020, duplicated 10.7km of road, removed a level crossing and replaced a roundabout with traffic lights to improve connectivity to EastLink. Preliminary results have shown that since the upgrade, travel times have improved by more than nine minutes in the evening peak, and almost eight minutes in the morning peak.

Major construction was also complete on the Hallam Road Upgrade earlier this year, improving safety and efficiency at the intersection of the South Gippsland Highway and Hallam Road.

Melbourne’s south east is a hive of activity for the Level Crossing Removal Project, with 24 level crossings gone for good, and 12 new train stations built. A further 18 level crossings are still to be removed in the South East to further improve travel and revitalise community spaces.

The communities of Lyndhurst, Lynbrook and Cranbourne West have been reconnected for the first time in 15 years thanks to the Evans Road level crossing removal, reopening of Evans Road and the Hallam Road Upgrade. The road upgrade improved safety by realigning the intersection of Hallam Road, Evans Road and South Gippsland Highway,  with further improvements to come when work soon begins on the removal of the Hallam Road level crossing.

Along the Cranbourne line, long-awaited works to build a second track continue in tandem with level crossing removal works at Greens Road in Dandenong South, where a new rail bridge is rising from the ground. By 2023 trains will be able to run every ten minutes on the line, which will also deliver a brand-new Merinda Park Station.

Along with the Metro Tunnel and introduction of high-capacity trains, duplicating the Cranbourne line will create capacity for 121,000 extra passengers each week on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines during peak periods – a 45 per cent increase.

The Metro Tunnel will take the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines through the dedicated new tunnel allowing more trains to run and freeing up space in the City Loop for increased services on other lines, including the Frankston line.

The Melbourne Airport Rail will make journeys to and from the airport easier with direct access from the Cranbourne-Pakenham lines, while the Suburban Rail Loop will connect the south east by rail to employment, education and health precincts across Melbourne’s suburbs.

Work is about to begin on upgrades of suburban roads that support the wider transport network, including Hallam North Road and Heatherton Road in Endeavour Hills, and Lathams Road in Seaford and Carrum Downs. By late 2021, construction will also be underway on key upgrades to South Road in Moorabbin and Narre Warren North Road.

Planning continues on Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road in Pakenham, Pound Road West in Dandenong South, Golf Links Road in Langwarrin South, and Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road, Hall Road and Western Port Highway in Cranbourne.

Road users in the south east will further benefit from smarter roads with the installation of more traffic cameras and road management IT systems to organise traffic flow and congestion and keep Melburnians moving.

The Andrews Labor Government is spending more than $23 billion on transport infrastructure projects across Melbourne’s south east and creating thousands of local jobs on projects that improve the way we work and live.

Quotes attributable to Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan

“We’re creating thousands of jobs across Melbourne’s south east by investing more than $23 billion in local road and rail projects that will help get people where they need to go safer and sooner.”

“These road and rail projects aren’t created in isolation, they all work together to unlock congestion and get people moving as part of the wider transport network regardless of whether you travel by car, bike or public transport.”

Quote attributable to Member for Mordialloc Tim Richardson

“In a difficult year we’ve seen incredible progress on the Mordi Freeway – this project supports local jobs, will get people home to their families safer and sooner – we’re getting it done

ENDS

Wednesday 16th December 2020 – Media Release

Source: © Copyright State Government of Victoria

View the Media Release here.

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