Victoria reveals four potential options for Melbourne’s North East Link

TINNews |

The Government of Victoria has unveiled four potential corridor options for the North East Link in Melbourne, Australia.

The North East Link will cut down traffic congestion in Melbourne’s north-east, and take trucks off local roads.

The possible corridors were determined after extensive works covering the entire north-east, including geotechnical investigations, traffic modelling, environment studies, and discussions with community groups, businesses and local residents.

Each corridor has been reviewed against a range of measures, including key local concerns such as minimising congestion and getting trucks off residential roads, as well as the impact on urban areas and the environment.

Each of the options identified start at the Ring Road in Greensborough and link to either the Eastern Freeway or EastLink. All will involve tunnels, new surface roads, and bridges.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said: “For decades, the North East Link has been put in the too-hard basket – this is the missing link Melbourne desperately needs to slash congestion and stop the rat runs in the north-east.

"For decades, the North East Link has been put in the too-hard basket – this is the missing link Melbourne desperately needs to slash congestion and stop the rat runs in the north-east."

“We said we would look at all options and that’s exactly what we’ve done. This is about making sure we get this project right.”

Victoria Minister for Roads Luke Donnellan said: “For too long, local roads in the north-east have become default freeways. North East Link will fix that - carrying 100,000 vehicles a day and creating 5,000 jobs.”

“Unlike the previous Liberal government who rushed through a botched project, we will do the work, get it right and get it done.”

The government is expected to determine the preferred corridor by the end of the year.

The Victorian Budget 2017/18 allocated the first $100m for the North East Link to undertake design, planning and pre-construction works before the award of contracts in 2019 and construction commencement in 2020.