By Ewen McRae
A push to upgrade the Western Highway is gathering steam.
Melton council’s Upgrade Western Highway campaign calls on the state and federal governments to upgrade the highway to urban freeway standard within the city of Melton.
Melton’s Transport Community Reference Group has joined the cause.
Reference group member Madeleine Connor said the community recognised the need for major improvements to the highway.
“Rapid population growth is placing huge demands on existing roads,” Ms Connor said.
“Urgent upgrades are needed to improve commuter safety, reduce congestion, and prevent the Western Highway from becoming gridlocked.”
The campaign calls for upgrades including interchanges at Bulmans and Mount Cottrell roads and a pedestrian overpass at Arnolds Creek.
It includes road improvement works and the removal of at-grade infrastructure, such as bus stops and driveways, between Deer Park and Melton West; as well as planning for additional lanes, an interchange at Harkness Road and an overpass at Paynes Road.
Melton mayor Bob Turner said growth in the region needed some forward thinking and asked residents to join the fight by signing an official petition.
“The number of vehicles on the Western Highway will rise from 60,000 today, to 113,000 over the next 20 years,” Cr Turner said.
“The more signatures we collect, the louder our voice will be. The louder our voice, the harder we will be to ignore.”
View the petition at catchup.org.au/melton
