New modelling from Victoria’s Big Build has shown the North East Link will slash travel times and boost safety as work on the project get underway.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan said the modelling showed peak hour speeds on the Eastern Freeway currently drop to around 45km/h.
“With planned upgrades, lane widening and Victoria’s first dedicated bus lane, speeds will increase to 85km/h during peak and 100km/h off-peak,” Ms Allan said.
“Once built, North East Link is expected to have one of the lowest crash rates in Victoria, cutting crashes by 108 every year,” she said.
Ms Allan said safety improvements on North East Link would reduce truck traffic on local streets and the separation of cars on an upgraded Eastern Freeway, which would also have a dedicated bus lane.
Ms Allan said the $15.8 billion North East Link would carry up to 135,000 motorists every day and deliver travel time savings of up to 11 minutes on the Eastern Freeway between Springvale Road and Hoddle Street.
“We’re making improvements to the Eastern Freeway in preparation for the North East Link – easing bottlenecks that have plagued people in the east for years,” she said.
She said the dedicated bus lane would deliver safer, faster trips for passengers and cut travel time by 30 per cent from Doncaster to Hoddle St.
