A road tunnel running beneath Footscray from the port to the west
appears back on the table following the election of the federal
Coalition.
The second stage of the east-west link, running from the
Tullamarine Freeway to Brooklyn and ultimately to the ring road, has
been raised by Victorian Premier Denis Napthine as an inevitable next
step following the completion of the $6-$8 billion 5.2-kilometre first
stage connecting the Eastern Freeway to the Tullamarine Freeway.
The proposal for the second river crossing has the support of
western suburbs lobby group LeadWest but is opposed by the Maribyrnong
Truck Action Group and the Greens, which favour a cheaper proposal for
ramps to take 10,000 trucks off residential roads and onto the West Gate
Freeway.
Roads Minister Terry Mulder said there had been some very vocal
supporters of the east-west link among business and freight
organisations, but now “the silent majority” were supporting the
project.
