The state government’s $15.8 billion ‘missing link’ road project, the North East Link will feature nearly 5.8 kilometres of tunnels carrying six lanes of traffic, according to detailed plans released on Sunday.
The new road, which now has the support of both major political parties, will connect the Eastern Freeway to the M80 ring road and feature a 1.2km section of lowered road along Greensborough Road with the Andrews Labor government promising noise abatement of up to 63 decibels.
The plans show a large tunnel from Lower Plenty Rd in Rosanna to Bulleen Rd, 5 kilometres away, and connecting to the Eastern Freeway.
Labor has promised the road would go out to tender within within 100 days if is re-elected in November, with construction to start in 2020 and the road to open in 2027.
Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday that the link would be Victoria’s largest ever road project and would create 10,000 jobs while under construction.
Mr Andrews said there was no change to the expectation that up to 75 homes and 140 businesses would have to be compulsorily acquired to make way for the road but those affected would be treated with “respect”.
“North East Link Authority have been working very closely with those people and we will continue to do that, we understand that this is a very challenging time for them,” the Premier said.
“People have been treated respectfully, they’ve been given the information they need and that consultation process will continue.”
The Premier said the final numbers of homes and businesses to be acquired would be fixed when the Environmental Effects Study and when the competitive tender process were both complete.
