By Corey Everitt and Matthew Sims
The Federal Government may halt the progress of local road works as it conducts a 90-day review into the nation’s $120 billion infrastructure pipeline.
The Clyde Road upgrade in Berwick and the McGregor and Racecourse Road upgrades in Pakenham are among the Victorian projects that may be stalled as no new contracts to progress works will be entered during the 90-day review without the direct permission of the Federal Government.
The majority of works in Victoria have already entered their main construction stages.
However, Clyde, McGregor and Racecourse road works are in their early work stages, with their main construction stages all set to begin later this year.
The upgrade to Clyde Road is planned to add an extra lane for both ways between Princess Freeway and Kangan Drive, while also upgrading their intersection through Clyde Road as well.
The project would also upgrade the freeway intersections to improve access on and off the Princes Freeway, build new shared walking and cycling paths and upgrade existing shared walking and cycling paths and install new street lighting, road signage, drainage and landscaping.
Early works were underway, the full construction to begin later in the year, whether this will project will continue is now up to the Federal Government review.
The $250 million Clyde Road Upgrade has been delayed by up to 12 months with $41.5 million cut over the forward estimates.
Berwick MP Brad Battin said he was concerned the infrastructure review and the lack of a mention in the Federal Government’s budget would allow the project to fall by the wayside.
“It’s a way to write off projects you don’t want to do,” he said.
“The growth corridors who need the most funding will pay.
“They will pay more and get less.”
The Pakenham Roads Upgrade project, which includes the works for McGregor Road and Racecourse Road, is currently in Phase 1, with the main construction started for extra lanes on Princess Freeway and upgrades to exits and entry ramps on to Healesville-Kooweerup Road.
The second and third phases are the upgrade to MacGregor and Racecourse Road, respectively.
With the the main construction to be renewed over the course of the year, the Federal Government’s review has now made the future of these two works uncertain.
State Transport and Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said the government was being open about the situation.
“While this national review is undertaken, we’re being upfront with our contractors, workforce, and the public, and following the direction from the Federal Government,” she said.
“We’ll continue to advocate for Victoria to get its fair share of infrastructure funding from the Commonwealth, after being short-changed by the former Liberal government for a decade.”
If the work sites in these projects are to be halted, the State Government would temporarily move the workers to other ongoing projects across Victoria.
