The East-West road connection is a proposed 18 kilometres long freeway standard road link in Melbourne, Australia, to run from the western suburbs to the Eastern Freeway. It was proposed in the 2008 East-West Link Needs Assessment (EWLNA) report by Sir Rod Eddington, but similar ideas have been proposed at various times.[1] In May 2010 a submission to the Rudd government said that benefits from the road would total $1.14 billion, only one third of the $3.5 billion construction cost estimated in October 2008. By 2010 the estimated construction cost had increased to $5 billion.[2]
The proposed freeway standard road would start at a junction with the West Gate Freeway near Wellington Road. Heading north-east with an interchange at Hyde Street passing through Yarraville and Footscray over the Maribyrnong River with an interchange at Footscray Road and Dynon Road near Kensington Road, then a tunnel adjacent to Kensington Road to CityLink in Parkville. From Citylink in Parkville a tunnel under Royal Park, Cemetery Road and Alexandra Parade to join the Eastern Freeway. There will also be a tunnel connecting Geelong Road and Sunshine Road under Buckley Street, Footscray Road and the Maribyrnong River to a new interchange in the port area connecting to Footscray and Dynon Roads.
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Inner West to the Port
(a) Construction of tunnels connecting Geelong Road and Sunshine Road to the Port of Melbourne area, running under Footscray Road and the Maribyrnong River along the alignment of Buckley Street, with a new interchange in the port area connecting Footscray Road and Dynon Road.
(b) Construction of an elevated road over the Maribyrnong River connecting to the West Gate Freeway near Williamstown Road to Footscray and Dynon Roads. The new road would also include a connection to Hyde Street, providing a new route for truck access into the port and allowing the extension of truck bans in Footscray and Yarraville.
Estimated cost: $2 billion.
West Melbourne to Flemington/Parkville
This section would require a mix bored tunnel and cut-and-cover construction, in order to traverse the developed inner city areas of North Melbourne and Kensington. From the port interchange, the route would follow a north-east alignment adjacent to Kensington Road, with J.J. Holland Park required as a staging point for deep tunnelling (to be fully restored at the end of construction). Tunnels in this section are likely to be two or three lanes in each direction.
Estimated cost: $5.5 billion.
There is contention with respect to whether J.J. Holland park will be left open or not.
"In the concept design, it has been assumed that generally this section would be an open cutting with vertical retained sides as this provides an opportunity for the tunnel to daylight and would enhance the driver experience" [3]
Regardless of which option is chosen, the Eddington Report suggests JJ Holland Park will not be available for public use for a period of 5–8 years. It is this aspect of the proposal which most concerns the residents of Kensington and the Kensington Flemington Junior Sports Club. Concerned residents have set up a website www.savehollandpark.org.au[4] to fight the proposal.
Flemington/Parkville to the Eastern Freeway
The Alignment for this section would follow a route under Royal Park, Cemetery Road, Princes Street and Alexander Pde. At the western end, the tunnels would diverge to provide long, two-lane connections to CityLink for northbound traffic. No southerly connection to CityLink. The Eastern Freeway would also be widened to allow the lane configuration necessary for traffic to enter the tunnel or exit to Hoddle Street and Alexander Parade. Westerly ramps would be included near Hoddle Street and Queens Parade to facilitate local access. This section would provide three lanes in each direction.
Estimated cost: $1.5 billion.
There has been criticism from Melbourne's media,[5] public transport advocates[6] and community groups about the proposed East-West road connection. Some of the criticism stems from the EWLNA being perceived as having too much emphasis upon road transport instead of public transport, as well as its environmental impact (during construction, and by encouraging car use, its movement of bottlenecks to other locations (Dynon Road) and its lack of need in the first place. Several local campaigns[7] have been recently formed to protest the proposed road tunnel detailed in Recommendation 4 through the suburbs of Clifton Hill, Collingwood, Carlton, Kensington and Sunshine.[4][8]
Currently, the following city councils are opposed to the building of the tunnel:
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