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Plan to widen Tullamarine Freeway welcomed

Melbourne's Tullamarine Freeway needs two extra lanes to cope with increasing traffic, a VicRoads study has found

By Ruza Zivkusic | May, 2011

The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) welcomes the Victorian Government’s plan to widen Melbourne’s Tullamarine Freeway, saying it will relieve freight congestion.

VTA Chief Executive Officer Philip Lovel believes the widening from four to six lanes from Western Ring Road to Melbourne Airport will allow domestics freight to run more smoothly.

A VicRoads study has found up to 36,700 vehicles use the freeway each day to the airport – with four percent being trucks.

“The freeway is a pain at the moment because it jams right up to Mickleham Road; it causes congestion for other major roads,” Lovel says.

“Business travel is almost 50 percent of the commercial travel so it has a big effect.”

The widening of the freeway has been identified as a future project by VicRoads which the government will consider, Transport Minister Terry Mulder has been reported saying.

The freeway is operating above capacity in both directions on Fridays and close to capacity on most weekdays, according to VicRoads.

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