Frankston Bypass to Proceed
The government said it hopes to start construction of the freeway before the end of this year. The contract will include traffic information management, and graffiti management, as well as construction.
The freeway will link in from the bottom of Eastlink, and connect to the Mornington Peninsula Freeway in Mt Martha.
In 2001, the Victorian State Labor government announced it would build the Eastlink motorway using funds contributed by the then-Howard federal government who specifically didn’t want the freeway tolled.
However, when Labor announced it would reneg on its promise and charge users to use the road, the angry federal government withdrew its funding.
It has been reported usage of Eastlink is considerably lower than expected, with some drivers finding non-tolled roads are quicker to get to destinations, than the tolled roads.
The Public Transport Users Association said building the freeway was the wrong solutions to Melbourne’s transport difficulties.
"The biggest problem in Melbourne’s outer suburbs has always been the lack of usable public transport," said PTUA spokesman Jeremy Lunn.
He warned the Frankston Bypass would attract more cars to the Mornington Peninsula, creating traffic chaos for local residents.
A recent poll in The Age newspaper showed that almost three quarters of Melburnians want funding directed to public transport, rather than road expansion.
