Whittlesea residents overwhelmingly want a freeway from Thomastown to Beveridge and they want it to happen as soon as possible, according to a recent council survey.
More than 1000 residents took part in the council’s E6 traffic corridor study in September and October, with the majority calling for the 11-kilometre road from the Metropolitan Ring Road to the Hume freeway and future outer ring road at Beveridge to be built as a freeway.
Almost 90 per cent of respondents said it was important the road be designed with overpasses and underpasses instead of traffic lights, while almost 84 per cent said it was important that the road be designed for free flowing traffic at high speed.
The council conducted the survey in response to a petition from 514 residents who were calling for the E6 to be built as a freeway.
The council has long supported the E6 as an arterial road, believing it would improve north-south travel through the municipality.
The survey also revealed that residents wanted the road built in the immediate future.
More than 86 per cent of respondents said they would use the road.
Those who lived within one kilometre of the E6 corridor mostly still preferred the road to be a freeway but raised concerns about loss of amenity, noise impacts and property values.
Residents who opposed the freeway idea lived predominantly within one kilometre of the corridor.
Mayor Kris Pavlidis said the survey’s participation rate was one of the highest on a community issue.
She said the council would consider the results of the survey early next year.
“It is important to remember that while the survey indicates a strong preference for the E6 to be a freeway, it is ultimately up to the state government,” Cr Pavlidis said.
“Council can certainly pass on our research to the state government and lobby to get it built.
“We understand traffic congestion is a major issue in the City of Whittlesea.”
