Coalition Government delivers strong case for federal funding of Victoria’s priority infrastructure projects
The Victorian Coalition Government has presented its 2012 Priority Infrastructure submission to Infrastructure Australia.
Premier Ted Baillieu said the Coalition Government's priority infrastructure projects have the potential to address Victoria's infrastructure backlog, to get Victoria moving again, to generate jobs and investment, and to deliver economic growth and prosperity for Victoria.
"The Coalition Government has put in place the right fiscal and policy frameworks, as well as the planning and project development work, to progress these visionary infrastructure projects," Mr Baillieu said.
"This year the Coalition Government is investing a record $5.8 billion for infrastructure including delivering funding to progress a number of Victoria's priority infrastructure projects.
"The Coalition Government's strong economic management will deliver higher budget surpluses over the forward estimates, that will enable us to increase investment in infrastructure, reduce debt and maintain Victoria's triple-A credit rating.
"It was pleasing to see Infrastructure Australia recommend funding for a number of Victoria's priority projects to the Federal Labor Government.
"It is concerning that while the Victorian Coalition Government has increased infrastructure funding, the Federal Labor Government is reducing infrastructure funding.
"The Federal Labor Government short changed Victoria in this year's Federal Budget. For the first time in memory, the Commonwealth gave Victoria less infrastructure funding than any other state.
"Commonwealth funding would be absolutely essential to deliver these visionary projects and Victoria looks forward to working with Infrastructure Australia to progress Victoria's infrastructure projects and secure Commonwealth funding.
"Victoria's infrastructure priorities include major city-shaping projects, improvements to existing infrastructure and planning for long term needs and priorities of the National Land Transport Network," Mr Baillieu said.
The Victorian Government is seeking Infrastructure Australia's support in recommending the following major city-shaping projects for Commonwealth funding through the next round of the Nation Building Program:
- East West Link – construction of a freeway-standard link connecting the Eastern Freeway to CityLink, the Port of Melbourne and to the M80 Ring Road;
- Melbourne Metro – construction of a nine-kilometre rail tunnel between South Kensington and South Yarra, including five new stations at Arden, Parkville, CBD North, CBD South and Domain;
- Port of Hastings – planning for and construction of the Port of Hastings as an international container port, including planning for transport links such as the Western Port Highway;
- Dandenong Rail Capacity Program – staged construction of a series of projects along the Dandenong Rail Corridor, including priority grade separations, signalling upgrades and platform lengthening to allow the running of high-capacity trains;
- Western Interstate Freight Terminal – construction of an interstate freight terminal and freight precinct in Melbourne's west at Truganina, including a standard gauge rail link to the interstate rail line; and
- M80 Upgrade – completion of the staged upgrade to the M80 Ring Road between Laverton North and Greensborough.
The Victorian Government is seeking Infrastructure Australia's support in recommending the following projects for Commonwealth funding for planning, development and delivery through the next round of the Nation Building Program:
- Removing Level Crossings – a progressive program of level crossing removal in strategic corridors across metropolitan Melbourne;
- Avalon Airport Rail Link – construction of a rail connection from Avalon Airport to the Melbourne-Geelong rail line, the construction of a new station at Avalon and grade separations;
- Growth Areas – Priority Transport Package – package of transport initiatives in Melbourne's growth areas such as the upgrade of arterial roads and public transport corridors;
- Managed Motorways – progressive roll out of intelligent transport systems technology across Melbourne's freeway network;
- Western Highway Duplication – Ballarat to Stawell – completion of the Western Highway duplication from Ballarat to Stawell;
- Princes Highway East Duplication – Traralgon to Sale – continuation of the corridor upgrade, including the duplication of highway sections between Traralgon and Sale;
- Shepparton Bypass – construction of a bypass of Shepparton on the Goulburn Valley Highway;
- High Productivity Freight Vehicles Upgrade Package – staged upgrades of key freight routes to cater for 77.5 tonne quad axle b-double configuration high productivity freight vehicles;
- High Capacity Signalling Project – development and roll out of new high-capacity train signalling technology across existing rail lines (such as the Dandenong Rail Corridor) and on future rail links (such as Melbourne Metro);
- Outer Metropolitan Ring Transport Corridor – planning and corridor protection – transport corridor reservation and protection to provide long-term orbital capacity for the metropolitan transport network; and
- Murray Basin Transcontinental Rail Link (including standardising the Mildura Line) – planning for and construction of a Transcontinental Rail Link between Mildura and Menindee (near Broken Hill, NSW) connecting to the Sydney-Perth rail line. The project would include the standardisation of the Mildura rail line and construction of a rail bypass of Mildura.
The Victorian Government will progress the following projects valued at less than $100 million with the Commonwealth Government for funding through the next round of the Nation Building Program:
- Calder Freeway – Calder Park Drive – this project will upgrade the existing at-grade intersection at Calder Freeway-Calder Park Drive with a grade separated interchange;
- Hume Freeway – Kalkallo to Beveridge – removal of unrestricted at-grade access on the Hume Freeway between Kalkallo and Beveridge;
- Princes Highway East – Nar Nar Goon to Longwarry – removal of unrestricted at-grade access on the Princes Highway East between Nar Nar Goon and Longwarry North;
- Western Highway – Rockbank to Melton – removal of unrestricted at-grade access on the Western Highway between Rockbank and Melton;
- Sturt Highway – Mildura Truck Bypass – the construction of a truck bypass of Mildura on the Sturt Highway;
- Green Triangle Freight Transport Program – a program of road upgrade projects in south west Victoria and south east South Australia, particularly timber roads;
- Calder Highway Alt – Interchange at Ravenswood – grade separation of the existing Calder Highway-Calder Alternative Route Intersection at Ravenswood, near Bendigo;
- Goulburn Valley Highway – Strathmerton Deviation – realignment of a 20 kilometre section of the Goulburn Valley Highway at Strathmerton. The project would be phased after the construction of a Shepparton Bypass;
- Metropolitan Intermodal System – the development of a series of metropolitan intermodal terminals networked by high-capacity road and rail links, including connections to metropolitan container ports;
- Transport Solutions – including timber roads projects – projects identified through the Victorian Government's Transport Solutions framework that address supply chain bottlenecks, particularly in regional Victoria including those that support the timber industry; and
- Tram Route 86 – demonstration project that involves a series of infrastructure and traffic management treatments to provide public transport priority and help revitalise High Street and Plenty Road, Darebin.
The Victorian Government will continue to work with Infrastructure Australia and the Commonwealth Government as the following projects progress:
- Doncaster Rail Link Study – a feasibility study into the potential for a rail link connecting Doncaster to the metropolitan rail network;
- Rowville Rail Link Study – a feasibility study into the potential for a rail link connecting Rowville to the metropolitan rail network;
- Melbourne Airport Rail Link Study – a feasibility study into the potential for a rail link connecting Melbourne Airport to the metropolitan rail network;
- Rail Revival Study – a study into the long-term feasibility of returning passenger trains between Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo;
- Upgrade Regional Passenger Lines – the provision of additional tracks and an electrified service between Sunshine and Melton and capacity improvements on the Ballarat and Bendigo lines;
- Horsham Bypass – long-term priority for the construction of a Western Highway bypass of Horsham, based on planning work carried out under the Nation Building Program;
- Tullamarine Freeway Widening – widening of the Tullamarine Freeway between the M80 Ring Road and Melbourne Airport;
- North East Link – long-term priority for the construction of a freeway-standard link between the Metropolitan Ring Road at Greensborough and the Eastern Freeway; and
- Murray River Crossings – Echuca, Swan Hill and Yarrawonga – sequenced construction of new bridges at Echuca, Swan Hill and Yarrawonga, with the initial priority at Echuca.
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