Thursday, 9 June 2022

Sydenham electorate road infrastructure

Ms HUTCHINS (Sydenham—Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (09:43:383:): I rise to update the house on some amazing infrastructure investment projects underway in the electorate of Sydenham. I know these projects will help locals spend less time on the roads and more time with those that they love. That is why I am proud to see our recent investment of $50 million towards updating the Calder Freeway put to good use by the Department of Transport using parts of the funds to undertake a corridor study which will aim to identify and prioritise future investments along this important stretch of road. This study will be completed by the end of the year, bringing us one step closer to a safer and less congested Calder Freeway.

This brings me to another exciting project that is underway in the Sydenham district, and that is the removal of the dangerous level crossing at Calder Park Drive, the second level crossing in my electorate to go and the sixth on the Sunbury line under this state government. In the recent state budget we unveiled our plan to invest $14.9 million to deliver a safer Melton Highway, with the duplication of the road between Crown Drive and The Regency intersection. This project will reduce delays in travel time and improve safety for both pedestrians and cyclists. I am really pleased to see the preliminary works occur on our $16 million project to remove the Sunshine Avenue–Melton Highway roundabout. We know these projects are needed to accommodate the growth and address road safety in our area.