Tunnel a short cut to city

THE $5.5 billion West Gate Tunnel project will reduce the Geelong-to-Melbourne commute by up to 12 minutes during peak time, a spokesman says.

The second major river crossing providing another route to Melbourne’s medical precinct and port is also expected to slash commute times from Melbourne’s outer west.

The project’s communica- tions director Jim Carden said two lanes would be added to the West Gate Freeway in each direction, between the M80 Ring Road and Williamstown Rd, reducing the Melbourneto-Geelong commute time.

“We look at between eight and 12 minutes. It’s not so much necessarily the linear time that it’s going to take but the reliability (the project will deliver) by decongesting the West Gate Bridge,” he said.

He said motorists would pay a toll to use twin three- lane tunnels under Yarraville, linking the West Gate Freeway to West Melbourne and Swanson Dock.

The freeway would be widened from eight to 12 lanes, with express lanes added between the Ring Road and West Gate Bridge.

Mr Carden said all West Gate Freeway lanes would remain open at peak times during the four-year construction phase, expected to begin next year.

“We’ve made a commit- ment to minimise traffic impact and maintain the same number of lanes during peak periods. A lot of work will happen at night.”

He said speeds were likely to be reduced on the West Gate Freeway during construction.

Mr Carden said the project would provide a better freight route between southwest Victoria and Melbourne.

“Between Geelong and Melbourne there are a lot of water crossings. We are upgra- ding (culverts) to take 109tonne trucks and the tunnels will able to take 120-tonne trucks,” he said.

Opposition roads and infrastructure spokesman Ryan Smith said a Liberal-Nationals government would complete the project if it won the 2018 state election.

“We’re not going to cancel any projects,” he said. “We think that’s irresponsible. I think we would have capacity for a renegotiation.”

Mr Smith said the Oppo- sition disagreed with extending the tolling period on CityLink to pay for the project and called for the project’s costing to be released.

“The method of paying for it is putting a burden on people who aren’t using the road,” he said. “We think this a bad deal with the commercial sector and we would seek to make it a better one.”

When the project is completed it is expected to take 6000 trucks off the West Gate Bridge daily.