MPs see the light

By Kelly Yates
Labor MPs Luke Donnellan and Judith Graley made the announcement last week as the final stages of the $1.39 billion M1 upgrade nears completion.
The ramp metering is part of a co-ordinated system that monitors freeway and ramp traffic, using traffic lights to regulate the flow of vehicles.
But motorists seem concerned about the backlog of traffic on the bridges as a result of the new lights.
A driver, who did not want her name used, said she was driving to work in Pakenham on Monday and noticed that the roads were pretty quiet on the other side going towards the city – a lot quieter than usual.
“But then I noticed that the on-ramps to the freeway were banked up, with cars stopped at the lights,” she said.
“I realise the need for lights on busy days at peak times, but surely school holidays and an RDO for the industrial sector means it wouldn’t be needed.
“It looked really weird and I can’t imagine how frustrating it would be for the drivers who would normally have a clear way to get on the freeway, without any traffic, to be banked up to the top of the ramp.”
Mr Donnellan said he was happy the lights were on.
He said the ramp meters had been activated progressively as part of an upgrade since last December, helping to alleviate bottlenecks along the freeway.
“This is world-class technology at work, cutting travel times for commuters on the Monash Freeway,” he said.
The soon-to-be-completed M1 Upgrade is a key part of the State Government’s Victorian Transport Plan to build a better transport system for Victoria.
Mr Donnellan said that thanks to better flows, even with more traffic, road safety had increased.
“While there is a travel time saving of around 50 per cent, road safety is not compromised,” he said.
“In fact, with the improved traffic flow casualty accidents have reduced by over 40 per cent.”