THE long-mooted Mordialloc bypass is expected to be built by 2021 after the state government announced $300 million for the project in the 2017-18 state budget unveiled on Tuesday (2 May).
A 9-kilometre road will be built between Springvale Rd in Aspendale Gardens and the Dingley Bypass in Clayton South to ease congestion in the south east.
The new Mordialloc bypass will link up with the existing Mornington Peninsula Freeway in a bid to prevent traffic jams and delays in peak hour traffic.
Mordialloc Labor MP Tim Richardson welcomed the funding for the bypass.
“I am so proud that the Labor government is building this vital and necessary road, to support local jobs and get you to work and home sooner and safer,” he said.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the government is “getting on with the job” of improving transport infrastructure as part of a $9 billion infrastructure spend on roads, level crossings removals, education and health ahead of next year’s state election.
“We’ll build the Mordialloc bypass to slash congestion and create jobs in Melbourne’s south east,” Mr Andrews said in a statement.
VicRoads will consult with Kingston Council, transport businesses and residents about plans to build the Mordialloc Bypass from Aspendale Gardens to Clayton South.
A cycling and walking path will be built alongside the 9-kilometre bypass.
An overpass will separate the new bypass from the busy Springvale Rd intersection that often sees Mornington Peninsula Freeway traffic backed up in busy travel periods.
A 4.5 kilometre Mordialloc bypass was promised in 2014 by the previous Coalition state government, under then premier Denis Napthine, at a cost of $300 million.
That bypass, had the Coalition won government again, would have ended at Lower Dandenong Rd in Braeside.
State Liberal opposition spokesman for roads and infrastructure Ryan Smith criticised the state government for “going back to the drawing board” on the Mordialloc bypass.
“Under the previous Coalition government, works on the Mordialloc bypass would have commenced a year ago, under Daniel Andrews work won’t begin until 2019,” he said in a statement.
Other major funding boosts for the Kingston area in this year’s state budget included $20.5 million to demolish and rebuild the Yarrabah School in Aspendale and $2.8 million to build a new base for the Chelsea SES unit.
First published in the Mornington News – 9 May 2017
