Melbourne’s outer north is missing in action from the state government’s multibillion-dollar roads upgrade package, which is meant to relieve congestion and reduce accidents in growth areas.
The Andrews government announced last month it would invest $1.8 billion to widen and duplicate eight of the most congested main roads in Melbourne’s west, and maintain the wider arterial road network for the next 25 years. A similar package of road upgrades for the outer south-east is to follow.
But the city’s other major growth belt in the north missed out, leaving surging numbers of residents driving on increasingly congested and crumbling roads for the foreseeable future.
A leaked departmental document reveals a package of major road upgrades for the outer north was put to the Andrews government by VicRoads this year, but was deferred indefinitely.
Greenvale Residents Association vice president Charlie Grech suggested the north would be better served if its seats were marginal.
“It’s a very strong Labor area and the emphasis hasn’t been put here,” he said.
The north’s proposed roads package included Bridge Inn Road, between Plenty and Yan Yean roads; Epping Road, between Craigieburn and Findon roads; Craigieburn Road, between Epping and Mickleham roads; Edgars Road between Cooper Street and O’Herns Road; Somerton Road, between Mickleham and Pascoe Vale roads; and Mickleham Road, between Somerton Road and Craigieburn Road West.
Funding of up to $139.4 million has been confirmed for just one road in the north – Plenty Road – which will be widened between McKimmies and Bridge Inn roads.
The government is also investing $250,000 in a business case for possible upgrades to a section of Craigieburn Road, and it is contributing to the O’Herns Road interchange.
A spokeswoman for Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said a $5.6 million investment had been made to develop a package of road upgrades focusing for the north.
“We’re upgrading Yan Yean Road, Plenty Road and O’Herns Road,” she said.
– The Age
