Earlier this year, a full business case for the $711 million Stage 2 of the Monash Freeway Upgrade was submitted to Infrastructure Australia for final approval. Now, the project has been added as a high priority project to the Infrastructure Priority List, taking the project one step closer to construction.
Stage 2 of the Monash Freeway Upgrade will deliver 36 kilometres of new lanes that will help ease gridlocks that motorists experience along the route.
“It will slash congestion and improve travel times for drivers across Melbourne’s south east while also ensuring safer journeys.
“There are also important economic benefits - this upgrade will improve access to the growing Monash and Dandenong National Employment and Innovation Clusters, major employment centres incorporating Monash University, Monash Medical Centre and Dandenong Hospital,” Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities Paul Fletcher said.
Federal Member for La Trobe Jason Wood said that he has been campaigning for this project to be turned into reality.
Stage 2 will include upgrading the Beaconsfield Interchange as well as extending O’Shea Road in Berwick. This project will also involve road widening between Warrigal Road and Eastlink and between Clyde Road and Cardinia Road - which will cut up to nine minutes off a trip between Pakenham and the city during peak hours.
“This is going to deliver smoother and safer commutes for my community, ensuring people get from work to home sooner so they can spend less time in traffic and more time with the family,” Mr Wood said.
The second stage of the Monash Freeway Upgrade is expected to support up to 600 jobs during its construction.
Major works on Stage 2 of the Monash Freeway Upgrade is projected to commence in mid-2019 and, weather permitting, completed in early 2022.
In June 2018, Expressions of Interest were called for a preferred builder to deliver this stage of the upgrade.
The Australian Government has invested approximately $500 million, with the Victorian Government to provide the remaining amount to complete the $711 million funding for this project.
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Source: Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities; The Age