EastLink, Melbourne

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This article contains information about a planned or expected future road. It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the road's construction and/or completion approaches and more information becomes available.

For other meanings, see Eastlink (disambiguation).

EastLink
Length	45 km
Direction	North – South
Start	Eastern Freeway
Primary destinations	Nunawading Ringwood Dandenong Frankston
End	Frankston Freeway
Construction dates	January 2005 - Under construction
Major junctions	Eastern Freeway Ringwood Bypass Monash Freeway Frankston Freeway
Owner	ConnectEast
Operator	ConnectEast

EastLink will be a A$2.5 billion tolled freeway linking a large area of Melbourne's eastern and south-eastern suburbs. It is a part of Melbourne's Metropolitan Ring Road project. It was originally proposed as a toll-free road, however the state government later reneged and imposed tolls. The Federal Government also reneged on their promise of partial funding. This continues to be a source of ongoing controversy.

EastLink will be electronically tolled with no booths, using a system similar to (and interoperable with) the one used on the CityLink freeway.

Contents 1 Route 2 Management and recent history 3 Naming history 4 Shared pedestrian/bicycle path 5 Interchanges 6 Controversies 7 Environmental issues 8 Construction progress 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Route

It will begin from the eastern end of the Eastern Freeway at Nunawading, tunnelling under the Mullum-Mullum Creek area, heading towards Ringwood. It will then travel 40 km south towards Frankston, going through the suburbs Wantirna, Wantirna South, Scoresby, Rowville, Mulgrave, Dandenong North, Noble Park, Keysborough, Dandenong South, Bangholme, and Carrum Downs, before ending at the northern end of the Frankston Freeway.

It will be signed M3 when it opens in 2008.

[edit] Management and recent history

In 2004, the overall project fell under the management of a newly formed SEITA (South Eastern Integrated Transport Authority), an autonomous division of the state Department of Infrastructure. Management of the freeway itself during and after construction is the responsibility of ConnectEast (a privately listed company). Thiess-John Holland, a group formed by the partnership of two major constructon companies, is responsible for the construction of the project.

EastLink's construction began in March 2005, and is scheduled for completion in 2008.

It is reported that EastLink was combined into a single project from the Eastern Freeway Extension Tunnel and the Scoresby Freeway projects by the Victorian State Government in 2003, although the project never had these divisions and the entire length (from the Eastern Freeway at Springvale Road to the Frankston Freeway) was always proposed as the "Eastern Ring Road".

[edit] Naming history

Over the years the name of the project has changed several times.

• It was originally named the Eastern Ring Road during proposal and for decades thereafter, in keeping with Melbourne's proposed ring road system of which the Western and Metropolitan (Northern) Ring Roads are completed.

• Scoresby Bypass was then coined by the media, although it was incorrect as the freeway actually runs straight through the suburb of Scoresby rather than bypassing it. The total project encompasses many suburbs and why the suburb of Scoresby was chosen to be "bypassed" by the media is unknown. Signs were erected at some points along the route, declaring it as the proposed "Eastern Ring Road - Scoresby Section", and for a period of time during the 1980s the Melway street directories reflected this (later it was changed to "Scoresby Freeway").

• It then became referred to as the Mitcham to Frankston Freeway another name coined by the Melbourne media. This name was also incorrect as the project does not begin in Mitcham, nor does it end in Frankston.

• After heated political resolution, it was finally proposed that the project would be called EastLink. The new name was announced by Premier Steve Bracks at a ceremony in Rowville, on 23 March 2005.^[1] The new name was reportedly chosen because it is easier to say and apparently easier to remember and fit on the Melway maps. It is likely that the name was inspired by that of CityLink, Melbourne's only other toll road (see note on tolling below).

Much controversy has been cased by the name EastLink as it is argued that if the opposing political party is elected to office during the next state election, it will be harder for it to revert the project to its correct Freeway status if its name co-exists with that of CityLink, a tolled freeway. Therefore it is argued that the name would have to be changed yet again, creating further confusion concerning its name.

Many residents believe there was nothing wrong with its original name, and argue that although most never knew what its original name was, it would have been much easier to remember and lead to no confusion. It remains the general consensus of the residents of Melbourne that the naming of the project was caught up in politics and ill-informed media sources.

[edit] Shared pedestrian/bicycle path

A shared walking/cycle path is also planned to follow the same route as the EastLink project. According to SEITA, once complete, cyclists and pedestrians will be able to cycle or walk the entire distance uninterrupted along a 3 metre wide dedicated concrete path.

The path will follow the tollway as follows:

• Mullum Mullum Valley, Ringwood Bypass, Schwerkolt Cottage and Eastland (Mullum Mullum Creek Trail) to;
• Simpsons Park / Heatherdale Reserve Proclamation Park to;
• Koomba Park via Dandenong Creek Trail to Wantirna Reserve on to;
• Blind Creek / Llewellyn Park Complex on (Blind Creek Trail) to;
• Nortons Park, Shepherds Bush, Drummies Bridge Reserve to;
• Jells Park Trail Network and Chesterfield Farm;
• Mulgrave Reserve / Dandenong Creek and Tirhatuatan Park through to;
• Fotheringham Reserve Trail to Mile Creek and Greaves Reserve via Dandenong Creek trail to;
• National Watersports Complex, Patterson Lakes open space, Carrum Foreshore or via Ray Dove Reserve, Edithvale Wetland, Seaford, Frankston Foreshore and the Port Phillip Bay Trail Network beyond.

There will also be a 60 metre footbridge which will be built across Mountain Highway and Burwood Highway. Most intersections on the path will be grade separated, however in a few cases, the crossing is via pedestrian signals.

[edit] Interchanges

The freeway starts from the end of the Eastern Freeway at Springvale Road which the traffic flows to and from the freeway in Donvale.

Interchanges along the freeway are as follows from north to south:

• Ringwood Bypass Future route number : Ringwood
• Maroondah Highway (Whitehorse Road) : Ringwood
• Canterbury Road : Ringwood
• Boronia Road : Wantirna
• Burwood Highway : Wantirna
• High Street Road : Wantirna South
• Ferntree Gully Road : Scoresby
• Wellington Road : Rowville
• Police Road : Mulgrave
• Monash Freeway : Dandenong North
• Princes Highway : Noble Park
• Cheltenham Road : Keysborough
• Dandenong Southern Bypass: Dandenong South
• Greens Road : Dandenong South
• Thompson Road : Bangholme
• Rutherford Road: Seaford

The freeway then merges with the Frankston Freeway in Carrum Downs.

[edit] Controversies

• The biggest controversy surrounding this project has been the issue of tolls. The Victorian Government, led by Steve Bracks, initially gave an undertaking that the road would be toll free, a promise on which they later reneged. This led to a total withdrawal of what had been partial federal funding of the project. This policy change has caused much debate, discussion and some resentment in some quarters, and was a major issue in the run up to the 2002 state election. The Victorian Government's position is that project was not viable without tolls.

• The Federal government withdrawal of funding was based on the premise that funding was only available for the road if the road was toll free. However, at the same time, they were also funding a tolled freeway in Sydney, the Westlink Motorway. This led to the controversial belief in some quarters that the funding withdrawal was solely designed to discredit the Victorian Government, rather than being driven by a reluctance to fund toll roads.

• The Victorian State opposition, led by Robert Doyle, initially opposed any form of tolling on the road. Subsequently this policy was changed to support tolls. The opposition leadership now led by Ted Ballieu continues to support tolls.

• During the planning stages of the project, businesses in the Rutherford Road industrial area (located at the Southern terminus of the freeway) wanted access via on/off ramps to the Mornington Peninsula Freeway and Frankston Freeway, in addition to EastLink. Prior to this project they had an off ramp only from the Mornington Peninsula Freeway; into the industrial area. Under Eastlink, this will be retained, but no onramps will be built onto these existing roads. The Mornington Peninsula Freeway, and the Frankston Freeway, despite being on their doorstep will be inaccessible. The only onramp from Rutherford Road will be onto EastLink, Northbound.

• One of the terms of the contract between the private company managing the freeway and the State Government is that should the State Government close any public roads, leading to a measurable increase in traffic (and therefore revenue) on the toll road, the State Government would be entitled to 50% of the revenue increase resulting from the public road closures. This has triggered speculation that the government may close some public roads to boost its own revenue. A possibility is that the government will close a lane in each direction on Springvale road, a public road that runs parallel to the Eastlink freeway. To justify the lane closures, the State Government could argue that traffic volumes had been reduced on Springvale road by the Eastlink and that the closed lanes would be more suitable as bus-only lanes.

• On August 28, 2006, due to the late completion of bridge preparation works on the Belgrave and Lilydale railway line, the line was closed for the morning with inadequate warning to commuters of the closure of the line between Blackburn and Ringwood stations causing chaos at Ringwood where lengthy queues formed for the replacement buses. Passengers at Heatherdale, Mitcham and Nunawading stations were stranded because of the mess where the delay was caused by the portable crane "Snow White" being unable to operate near the rail line where bridge supports are being constructed. The ground was too soft for the crane and gravel had to be ordered in causing the delay. Theiss John Holland has to pay penalties to Connex Melbourne while commuters will not be reimbursed.^[2]

• Finally, many in the local area at the Southern end of EastLink argue that EastLink will in fact funnel much more traffic onto the Frankston Freeway, which will only aggravate the existing congestion at the Frankston Freeway terminus; at the corner of McMahons Road and Cranbourne road. They argue further that a Frankston Bypass is necessary, to complete the missing link in the currently split Mornington Peninsula Freeway. This has received much attention in local Frankston newspapers. VicRoads argue that their research indicates no such congestion will occur. The Frankston Bypass route has long been marked in the Melway street directory. Victorian Transport Minister Peter Batchelor, has in the past said that "just because a future freeway appears in the Melway, does not mean that the road is planned or will ever actually be built". Frankston Council has been in talks with EastLink, with a view to getting the bypass built from EastLink to as far as Cranbourne Road. In addition, the local MP for the Federal seat of Dunkley, Bruce Billson, is also working with local councils with a view to applying pressure on the state government for the Frankston Bypass to be built.^[3]

[edit] Environmental issues

Many environmental groups in Melbourne's east and south-east object to the project, due to a number of factors, including vehicle emissions and disruption of habitat (in places such as the Mullum Mullum Valley and Dandenong Valley Wetlands). However, the road was the subject of an extensive Environmental Effects Statement (June 1998), which was followed by an extensive public hearing process in April 1999 before the final Government decision to proceed.

According to EastLink's builders, the road will relieve traffic congestion throughout Melbourne's eastern and south-eastern suburbs, resulting in more efficient traffic flow, therefore reducing fuel consumption and exhaust output.^[4]

During the planning phase (then a VicRoads project), a large debate surrounding damage to the Mullum Mullum Valley occurred. A number of options for the path of the road through the valley were considered. The option chosen - for two 1.6 km tunnels - was the second-to-most expensive, and the second-to-most environmentally friendly.^[5] Other options considered in planning included a surface road for the entire length, much shorter tunnels, and slightly longer tunnels.

[edit] Construction progress

This section documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

As at the end of February 2007, construction is ahead of planned late 2008 completion schedule. The tunnels' heading exacavation was completed in October and November of 2006, and tunnel lining is due to be completed in October 2007. Many bridges have been completed, and many others are partially open, pending full completion. All other bridges are under heavy construction. Electrical service installation (including tolling equipment, street lights and traffic lights) is underway along the entire route, and in some locations has been completed and is under testing. The accompanying shared use path has been laid along much of the route, and an extremely small section has opened between High Street Road and Blind Creek in Wantirna South.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• ConnectEast (the developer of EastLink)
• EastLink Official website (run by SEITA)
• Thiess-John Holland, the group constructing EastLink
• ABC Online Report on project groundbreaking
• Justice Gray's ruling on the likelihood of the Scoresby Freeway being a catalyst for further freeway building in environmentally sensitive areas