Hobsons Bay council is urging the state government to fund a study into the feasibility of building a west-bound ramp from Grieve Parade onto the Westgate Freeway.
Mayor Colleen Gates says the council hopes such a ramp will reduce the number of freight trucks using local roads during freeway-widening works associated with Transurban’s $5.5 billion Western Distributor proposal.
“There are opportunities during the freeway-widening process to construct a direct ramp, which would service the industrial precincts of the inner west, removing trucks from local roads and increasing transport and logistics productivity,” Cr Gates said.
The council has requested a meeting with Treasurer Tim Pallas and Roads Minister Luke Donnellan to obtain more detailed information about the distributor road.
Transurban is waiting for the green light from the state government to build a toll road to link Westgate Freeway with the CBD and port, via twin tunnels beneath Yarraville and a bridge across the Maribyrnong River.
The toll road operator has been test drilling at 13 locations across Yarraville, Seddon, Kingsville and Spotswood. The drilling will gather more data about ground conditions and soil quality to help determine the route and depth of tunnels underneath Yarraville.
“We recognise this is a significant project for the state of Victoria, but there are many local issues to consider, such as the potential loss of amenity due to the proposed freeway widening, increased noise levels and the potential loss of vegetation,” Cr Gates said.
“The proposed widening of the West Gate Freeway over Kororoit Creek will definitely have an impact on the lower section of the creek, so planning and construction of the Western Distributor and the Kororoit Creek Trail should be undertaken simultaneously.”
Transurban spokeswoman Bridget Brady said the company was also reviewing feedback from more than 500 responses to an online survey and in direct talks with more than 600 people.
“Should government determine the proposal will move to stage four of the process, further community consultation sessions will be held in the inner west,” Ms Brady said.
The government decision on the distributor road is due by December.
With Goya Dmytryshchak
