WYNDHAM Council wants other local governments to support a push to have the western side of the east-west link built first.
The council will use the Municipal Association of Victoria’s state council meeting on May 16 to seek support for a second river crossing from the western suburbs before the project’s eastern connection.
Once constructed, the 18-kilometre road will join the Eastern Freeway, CityLink and the Western Ring Road.
Cr Glenn Goodfellow called on the MAV to view the western link as an urgent need.
“The western end is the most important. We have the most commercial freight movements,” he said.
“It is important not only for Wyndham but for all of Victoria.”
Cr Bob Fairclough said there was a strong case for the western side being prioritised because the West Gate Freeway was struggling to cope with population growth.
As reported by the Weekly, the government has ignored repeated advice for the western end to be built first.
A March 2011 report by the Linking Melbourne Authority, released under freedom of information in December last year, stated its preferred option was to complete a business case for the western section in 2011 so funding could be allocated in the 2012 state budget.
Planning for the Footscray-Port of Melbourne section had already been finalised under the previous government’s ‘WestLink’ proposal.
The report argued “the most important need is an alternative to the West Gate Bridge” and recommended the Footscray-Port of Melbourne section be made a priority.
