Population growth in outer Melbourne and Geelong is resulting in transport demands which exceed or are forecast to exceed the capacity of the existing transport infrastructure over time. This routinely leads to longer travel times, leading to a loss of productivity for individuals and businesses.
Various growth areas including in Wyndham, Melton, Hume, Mitchell, Whittlesea, Casey, Cardinia and Greater Geelong are collectively anticipated to have the need to accommodate an additional 1 million residents by 2036.
Strategic Fit
The proposal aligns with Australian Government and Victorian Government policies and strategies to improve productivity, liveability, resilience and road safety outcomes. When the business case is developed, the improvements in these key metrics will be quantified.
The suite of transport upgrades will enhance the quality of life for residents, commuters and businesses by improving mobility for residents and businesses, safety, and access to services, while supporting future growth.
Deliverability
The Victorian Government has extensive experience in developing and delivering projects of comparable scale and scope, such as the suburban roads upgrade program. The project should consider not only existing network constraints, but also likely future network constraints based off future land use forecasts.
Infrastructure Australia recommends that the Victorian Government develop potential investment options and undertake an options analysis to develop a range of specific projects which best serve the anticipated future transport demands, and propose their relative priority. As part of the options analysis, it is recommended that the evaluation also consider public transport proposals.
