My Suggestion Of A North-South Motorway Link In Melbourne

Melbourne’s North-East Link (currently under construction) will take thousands of cars and trucks off local roads in the north-eastern suburb's per day (such as the infamous Rosanna Rd which often looks like a truck car park). But not all vehicles will be using this tollway to access the East Link tollway (as designed) and vice versa. Hence, the North-East Link will significantly increase traffic on local roads in the inner-eastern and eastern-suburbs, on top of increasing traffic on Hoddle St, close to the CBD.

The more expensive, route option C (through Templestowe) would have been the best option for this link. It would have served the purpose of this motorway nicely, by sending freight vehicles across from areas like Dandenong to the Metropolitan Ring Road as well as onto the Hume Highway.  But perhaps the cheaper route that was chosen by the North East Link Authority - which runs directly south through Bulleen - has opened up other opportunities to better Melbourne's motorway system. How?

I think that the chosen route for the North-East Link creates the need to build a North-South Link between the Eastern Freeway and the Monash Freeway. Perhaps an underground motorway that connects the Eastern Fwy at Chandler Rd with the Monash Fwy where the Yarra River bends.

On top of solving the problems created by the North-East Link, a tunnel connecting the Eastern Fwy with the Monash Fwy may just be what's needed to bring a good business case to the proposed shovel ready East-West Link (which was appropriately scrapped by the current Premier of Victoria), or at least make the project feasible. Take an aerial view of Melbourne's motorway system. Notice the obvious gaps, the missing links. Contrast this with the free-flowing motorway systems of Singapore and LA. What? LA?

Just like Los Angeles, Singapore’s motorways have plenty of connections. The difference, though, is that LA doesn’t have a congestion charge, hence the notorious soul crushing traffic of a city of around twelve million. In Melbourne, Australia, the East-Link is tolled, as will be the North-East Link. So, a North-South Tollway which I am suggesting would create links which would have a similar effect to Singapore’s motorway system not LA’s. Simply because people need to pay to use it. Once the toll period runs out, it should be replaced with a congestion charge. 

The North-East Link (under construction) combined with the six billion dollar Stage One of the East-West Link (currently scrapped) , then combined with a north-south link (my suggestion) between the Eastern Fwy and the Monash Fwy would see Melbourne's motorway network working as it should.

Additionally, an east-west link together with a north-south link, together with the Monash Fwy and the Bolte Bridge, would create a perfect rectangular inner ring road. This could only be a good thing in a fast growing city like Melbourne.