Avoiding the question – Yes Minster Style. What to do with Punt Road?

Earlier this year we wrote to the Minister for Local Roads seeking detailed information as to the propose changes to Punt Road and the cost of Road widening versus a Road Tunnel.

 

We specifically asked

I would like to know how much world a Road tunnel under punt Road cost to construct and if he development and design of the Metro Tunnel which Cross Punt Road will impact or preclude a future Road Tunnel.  Ideally the two would be constructed together.

Nathan Corcornon from Vicroads wrote back with the following reply ignoring our question

Thank you for your email in regards to Punt Road.

The ‘Punt Road Investigation’ aims to provide the government with possible short-term options to improve the corridor. The investigation aims to improve safety for all road users, help traffic flow, increase reliability of public transport and improve accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians along and across the entire corridor.

Possible improvements that are being investigated include implementing 24-hour clearways, introducing a fifth lane within the existing road reserve, east-west connectivity improvements and public transport priority measures.

Tunnels require significant financial resources and typically involve a long and disruptive construction period. At this point in time Punt Road is not as efficient as it could be, the focus of the Punt Road Investigation therefore, is to develop solutions that maximise the operation of the infrastructure we already have (i.e. Punt Road) to ensure it operates at maximum efficiency.

Additionally, only 15-20% of vehicles are travelling the majority of the length of the Hoddle-Punt corridor, therefore there will still be significant demands on the surface road network that need to be addressed.

Any options to improve Punt Road are being examined alongside the Streamlining Hoddle Street initiative which aims to improve travel times and reliability of trips along Hoddle Street.

As we are still in the ‘exploring’ phase of the project, feedback received is being used to help us prioritise areas for improvement and subsequently guide options development. These options will be presented to Government in early 2016.

Once again, thank you for your input.

Kind regards,

Streamlining Hoddle Street & Punt Road Transport Investigation Project teams

In 2009/10 the Brumby Government looked at what to do with Hoddle Street Punt Road and cam up with a proposal for grade separation and a tunnel at budget cost of 1.5 Billion Dollars

This proposal has fallen off the radar and Nathan Conornan is apparently not aware of it.

What is of concern is that the cost of purchasing property top facilitate a road widening of Punt Road is estimated to cost around $750 Million and it will not facilitate or address the traffic concerns along Punt Road.

Contrary to the statement made by Nathan Conornan the percentage of vehicles traveling along Punt Road that travel the full length from the Yarra to Carlisle Street is greater than 80%.  the 15%-20% figure he quotes is the full Hoddle/Punt Road (Clifton Hill to St Kilda) corridor.

Whats more the Metro Rail Project which will no longer stop at  serve South Yarra is most likely ignored the need to design both tunnels (Road and Rail) together.  The Metro rail may prohibit any future road tunnel option under Punt Road.

State Planning at its worst.   Again the Government is remaining numb on these issues. Metro Rail is not talking to Vicroads and both are not talking to the community. They certainly are not listening.

 

 

Melbourne Metro to bypass South Yarra

In a highly disappointing announcement the proposed Melbourne Metro Train will bypass South Yarra.

 

When taken into consider  with the proposed changes to Tram number 8 South Yarra will not have a direct route to Melbourne University further isolating South Yarra Residents,  This will result in halving South Yarra’s Transport options and makes a mockery of South Yarra Planning and development. South Yarra has a number of high rise high density developement that are specifically aimed at the student market.

 

Having lost the Seat of Prahran in 2014 the State Government has shown no interest or concern over South Yarra residents who have been ignored in the consultation and planning of Melbourne’s Transport Plans

The Melbourne South Yarra Residents Group is planning to hold its Annual General Meeting on November 12 at which Melbourne Metro is listed for discussion

 

 

 

Punt Road: Cost of building a Road Tunnel

Melbourne’s CityLink Tunnel had a capital cost of $100 million a kilometre (10 per cent of East West estimates) and Sydney’s Westlink M7 had a capital cost of $58 million.

At this rate the cost of building a road tunnel from the Yarra to Nepean Hwy (4.3KM)would be cheaper than purchasing property to widen Punt Road,

 

Side note: Australia Stock  market lost 9.5 Bill Dollars today

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Improving Hoddle Street and Punt Road

The Andrews Labor Government has today started public consultation on its plan to reduce congestion on the Hoddle St – Punt Rd corridor.

The Labor Government wants to hear from motorists, cyclists and public transport users who use the corridor as well as local residents and business owners.

The local communities’ views and the thousands of people who use the corridor every day as a bypass, a distributer and a crossing point, as well as residents and business owners in the area, are a vital part of investigations into traffic management improvements which will be made over the next two to four years.

The community can use an online mapping tool on the VicRoads website to provide feedback on their experiences along particular parts of the corridor.

PuntRdMap

Residents and motorists will also be able to attend local drop in sessions on:

  • Saturday 12 September – Catholic Leadership Centre Cnr Hoddle St and Victoria Pde, East Melbourne 9:00am–12:00pm and 2:00pm–5:00pm
  • Wednesday 16 September – Wesley College, St Kilda Rd Campus Cnr Punt Rd and High St, Melbourne 10:00am–1:00pm and 5:30pm–8:30pm

This feedback will inform options for the Labor Government’s $60 million Streamlining Hoddle Street Initiative, which will use improved traffic management technology and innovative engineering solutions to streamline traffic and public transport on Hoddle St.

Feedback will also inform short term improvements along Punt Rd. Options being considered include full time clearways, which would involve relocating on-street parking, and the potential to implement a fifth lane within the existing road lanes.

The investigations will focus on reducing congestion, increasing reliability of public transport and improving access for cyclists and pedestrians and improving safety for all road users on the Hoddle St-Punt Rd corridor.

Up to 90,000 vehicles travel on Hoddle St each day and up to 40,000 vehicles travel Punt Rd. Around 200,000 people travel across Hoddle Street on intersecting roads, with around half on public transport.

For more information on the consultation and to have your say visit www.vicroads.vic.gov.au

“We’re getting on with our plan to reduce congestion on Hoddle Street and Punt Road. The Government wants to hear from everyone in the community on how they use this road corridor, so that we can best reduce congestion. The Andrews Labor Government is committed to unclogging our roads, ensuring Victorians can get home safer and sooner.”

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan

Thank you

Thank you to all the Candidates. Clem Newton Brown, Neil Pharoah , Sam Hibbins and all those who attended the South Yarra/Prahran public debate earlier tonight.  Live debate and community interaction is by far better than online social media and mail box drops.

We would like to also thank Herald Sun State Political Editor. James Campbell, for his role as moderator and a special thank you to Catherine Misson, the staff and parents of Melbourne Girls Grammar School South Yarra for the use of Ross Hall.   Your support and engagement in the local community is greatly appreciated.  – It was suggested  that we should engage the students more and ask them to participate and ask questions. An idea I am keen to explore next opportunity.

Thank you all who attended.

 

Anthony van der Craats
Convener.

 

We recorded the event and hope to publish online the proceedings

South Yarra – Prahran Election Debate Nov 20, 2014

SYN-MeetingNov20

State Seat of PRAHRAN – (SOUTH YARRA)

PUBLIC MEETING
When:  Thursday November 20, 2014
Place:  Ross Hall Melbourne Girls Grammar
            86 Anderson Street, South Yarra 3141
Time:     6:45PM (7:00 Start)

Chair James Campbell, State Political Reporter, Herald Sun Newspaper

CANDIDATES’ DEBATE

  1. Welcome
  2. Candidate Presentations
    • Clem Newton-Brown (LP) (Confirmed)
    • Sam Hibbins (The Greens) (Confirmed)
    • Neil Pharaoh (ALP) (Confirmed)
  3. Questions
  4. Close

We encourage all residents of the South Yarra to attend and participate. We ask that Candidate Statements and Questions be limited to local issues.

Convened by the South Yarra Community Network  with the support of the Melbourne Girls Grammar School and the Melbourne South Yarra Residents Group  (www.msyrg.com.au)

 

Free Admission

www.sthyarra.net.au

 

Download the PDF file .

SYN-MeetingDebateNov20

Authorised and printed by Anthony van der Craats,
100 Millswyn Street South Yarra on behalf of the South Yarra Network.