Traffic jam plan

Traffic congestion during peak hour on the Monash Freeway is a problem for Casey drivers.50998 Pictu
LENGTHY delays and heavy traffic on the Monash Freeway have sparked two Casey councillors to push VicRoads to duplicate the freeway.
Councillors Sam Aziz and Shar Balmes are joining forces in the fight to get the freeway, from Clyde Road to Heatherton Road, duplicated.
Cr Aziz, who uses the freeway to get to and from work in the city, says the traffic is bad during peak hour.
“It can take me half an hour to get from Clyde Road to Heatherton Road, when it should only take 10 minutes or less,” he said.
“We need a wider freeway because the problem will only get worse as a result of the growth in the area. Transport and infrastructure need to be key factors here in Casey.”
VicRoads regional director for Metro South East Duncan Elliott said they were aware of community concerns regarding congestion along the Monash Freeway between Heatherton and Clyde roads.
Mr Elliott said as part of the Government’s Victorian Transport Plan, an upgrade of the Monash Freeway was being done to help ease congestion and improve traffic flow.
“These works are nearly complete and include the construction of extra lanes and the introduction of an intelligent freeway management system along the corridor,” he said.
“The freeway management system includes traffic signals on the freeway entry ramps to manage the flow and entry of vehicles onto the freeway. The freeway ramp signals between Heatherton Road and Clyde Road are expected to be switched on over the next few months.”
Cr Balmes said she felt for the Casey residents who used the freeway every day.
“With the election coming up I think our governments should look at upgrading it. It’s an issue that affects all of the residents in the City of Casey,” she said.
“This traffic congestion is just asking for an increase in road rage incidents and accidents. People are getting so frustrated.”
Both councillors plan on raising the issue at the next council meeting with the hope that Casey Council will start advocating to the State Government for improvements on the Monash Freeway.
Mr Elliott said planning for major road improvements was done with regard to the objectives of the government’s planning and transport strategies.
The government’s Victorian Transport Plan includes funding of $1.9 billion for the Outer Suburban Arterial Roads Program, which provides capacity improvements on the arterial road network in Melbourne’s outer suburbs.
Mr Elliott said proposals for improvement projects must be considered and evaluated on a state-wide basis.
“Any further capacity improvements along this section of the Monash Freeway will be considered in this context,” he said.