Liam McNally
More than $1.6 billion in benefits over 30 years would come from upgrading the Melton and Western Highways, according to an economic analysis received by Melton council.
The independent economic analysis by Clarity Consult said the upgrades would also save 410,000 hours of travel time for commuters, 40,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases and prevent 300 serious crashes.
Upgrading the Western Highway from a rural standard with unsealed shoulders, open drains and non-existent pedestrian and cycling facilities to an urban standard, with additional lanes from Melton to Deer Park and constructing new interchanges would deliver a cost benefit ratio of 1.06, delivering $1.4 billion in benefits to the community over 30 years for an estimated project cost of $1.3 billion.
Duplicating the Melton Highway from Hillside to Melton and a signalised intersection at Plumpton Road would have an even greater benefit, delivering a cost benefit ratio of 1.5 and $166 million in economic benefits over 30 years for a $112 million project cost.
Clarity Consult’s analysis is based on the Melton Integrated Transport Model, a new transport model developed in-house by Melton council.
Council has been calling on all major parties to commit to a roads package and invest in six arterial roads through its Fix Our Roads campaign: Western Highway, Melton Highway, Christies Road, Hopkins Road, Calder Park interchange and the Robinsons Road, Westwood Drive and Calder Park Drive Corridor.
The Victorian government has already committed $10 million for a business case on upgrading the Western Highway and $14.9 million on Melton Highway upgrades to a small
section between The Regency and Crown Drive in Hillside but has not yet committed any further investment.
The Liberal and National parties have pledged $700 million to upgrade the Western Highway between the Western Ring Road and Melton and $117 million to duplicate the Melton Highway between Melton and Hillside.
Mayor Goran Kesic said that almost $5 billion has been invested in major roads in other growing suburbs in recent years, but the Melton municipality keeps missing out on what we need to keep our people moving.
“The numbers stack up. Delivering these overdue upgrades to our major roads will deliver massive economic benefits to the City of Melton and Victoria over the next 30 years while creating hundreds of jobs,” he said.
