Transurban’s proposed Western Distributor has been redesigned to move the proposed southern tunnel entry and exit portal onto industrial land to the north of the West Gate Freeway near Hyde Street Reserve.
The changes, revealed on Friday, aim to get more trucks off inner-west streets, but will move the tunnel entrances closer to some homes and businesses.
The portals were originally designed to connect directly with the Westgate Freeway.
Transurban said the changes have been prompted by community, industry and government feedback to its $5.5 billion project linking the Westgate Freeway, Port of Melbourne and CityLink.
The proposal would build twin 2.5-kilometre tolled tunnels under Yarraville, linked via an elevated motorway across Maribyrnong River to the port, the CBD and CityLink.
INFORMATION AND MAPS: Design Update September.pdf
The Maribyrnong Truck Action Group supports the proposal in principle, while Public Transport Not Tolls lobby group remains opposed, arguing a greater investment in public transport and moving freight to rail would render the project unnecessary.
Transurban Victoria general manager Vin Vassallo said 90 per cent of the 600 locals who have participated in consultation said they are impacted by truck traffic and associated concerns including traffic delays, air quality, safety and traffic noise.
“People told us loud and clear that they would like to see even more done to get trucks off local streets – and we’re confident that these changes deliver that by helping to get more trucks carrying dangerous goods away from local streets and straight onto the freeway network,” he said.
Transurban is investigating options for multiple port connections including possible use of Appleton Dock Road, Dock Link Road and Mackenzie Road to help more trucks use the Western Distributor for trips to the Port of Melbourne.
Mr Vassallo said relocating the tunnel southern portal gets dangerous goods trucks, such as tankers from the fuel terminals straight onto the freeway network.
The proposal does not require any home acquisition.
“While there are many benefits with these changes, we know there will be some impacts on Hyde Street Reserve and the tunnel entrance is moving closer to some homes and businesses,” Mr Vassallo said.
“So we want to start talking with locals about this now.”
The updated proposal includes completion of the Federation Trail, removal of overhead power lines from Hyde Street Reserve and along the north of the West Gate Freeway and remediation of contaminated land near the new southern portal location to provide new open space.
Further community sessions will be held early October.
‘More questions than answers’
Western Greens MP Colleen Hartland said the new route plan raises more questions and concerns than it answers.
“We need the traffic modelling released urgently, so we can understand the assumptions and true impact of the proposal well before it is signed off,” she said.
“The new off-ramps will presumably also be tolled, so we still have a financial incentive for container trucks to use local streets and to continue to impact negatively on residents, and no commitment from the government to stop it.”
