Plans Floated to Ease Melbourne's Traffic Congestion Woes

New research published in the Herald Sun today claims traffic speed along the massive West Gate Bridge, has slowed an average 40 kilometres an hour in morning peak times – or almost half the speed motorists travelled to get over the bridge ten years ago.

A 300 per cent rise in West Gate traffic volume is blamed for the congestion is blamed on booming population growth in the western suburbs, as well as an increase in the volumes of industrial facilities being developed in major business parks surrounding the Western Ring Road.

About 150,000 more people live in the western suburbs today than they did in 1998, ABS research shows.

According to the Herald Sun survey, it now takes almost four minutes to cross the 2.6 kilometre bridge, compared with two minutes in the mid 1990s.

The recent congestion has prompted renewed calls for another major thoroughfare to be built, which would allow the West Gate to merge into the Monash.

The only other major road into the city from the inner-western suburbs is Footscray Road – however recent roadworks have reduced its 5-lane capacity, to 2 lanes in parts.

In other road speculation news, discussion of a tunnel running under Royal Park, connecting the Tullamarine Freeway to the Eastern Freeway was also raised again this week  by transport expert Sir Rod Eddington, who will submit a report later this month.

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