By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS AND LACHLAN MOORHEAD
CASEY Council has welcomed news that the Federal Government is considering adding extra lanes to the Monash Freeway.
Additional lanes on the Monash Freeway are being considered by the State Government and CityLink operator Transurban, but the details are still sketchy.
New mayor Sam Aziz said the M1 near the Hallam Bypass was one of Melbourne’s worst bottlenecks.
He said it could take some Casey residents up to two hours to commute between Berwick and Melbourne’s CBD.
“The council encourages both levels of government to work together to expedite planning and funding commitments for these vital works for the benefit of all Casey residents,” Cr Aziz said.
Roads Minister Luke Donnellan did not respond to Star News questions on the reported $400 million cost or whether added tolls were a possibility under the plan.
He said the government was working on a long-term solution to ease congestion on the M1, which might include additional lanes.
“As part of Transurban’s Western Distributor proposal, we asked them to consider what steps could be taken as part of a corridor solution on the Monash to provide additional capacity.
“We have been considering options that include additional lanes along the Monash that helps get more motorists to their destinations more efficiently and safely.”
According to media reports, the option may comprise up to 10 lanes on the freeway between the South Gippsland Freeway and Eastlink and six lanes between Clyde Road and the South Gippsland Freeway.
The Federal Government has recently signalled it was open to funding a widening of the M1 Clyde Road-South Gippsland Freeway section.
Greens South Eastern Metropolitan Region MP Nina Springle said better public transport was a more effective way to reduce road congestion.
“The Monash keeps growing wider, but traffic isn’t getting better. That’s because new lanes fill up with extra cars and take us back to square one.
“The only way to reduce congestion is by giving people alternatives to their car.”
Ms Springle said the south-east was “starved” of public transport. It needed better buses and a rail-line to Rowville.
“A rail-line to Rowville would take an entire lane of traffic off the Monash Freeway.
“The State Government needs to abandon its toll road fantasy and get serious about mass transit.”
