The Victorian Government announced major work to Melbourne's roads as a result of the looming construction efforts for the Melbourne Metro Tunnel.
The work will be undertaken at more than 250 locations across the CBD and cost more than $25 million in road and traffic management upgrades. That aim of this endeavour is to ensure the city keeps moving while the Metro Tunnel is built.
According to the announcement issued by Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan and Minister for Roads Luke Donnellan, from early next year Franklin Street will close between Swanston Street and Victoria Street, and A’Beckett Street will close between Swanston and Stewart Streets.
"There will be a huge impact on our city while we build the Metro Tunnel but the biggest impact will be once its finished, delivering more trains in and out of the city for passengers in suburbs and regions across Victoria," Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said.
They will remain closed for five years to enable construction of the new CBD North Station, next to Melbourne Central.
In an attempt to improve traffic flow and provide an alternative to these roads, parking near intersections on La Trobe Street between Exhibition and King Streets will be removed. A ‘no stopping’ zone will also be introduced eastbound on Victoria Street between Leicester and Nicholson Streets in the morning peak.
In late April, Domain Road will be closed from St Kilda Road to the edge of Edmund Herring Oval for construction of the new Domain station, and trams will begin running along the new Toorak Road West connection.
From late 2017, St Kilda Rd will be reconfigured to one lane in each direction between Domain and Toorak Road for three years while the new Domain Station is built. Tram, pedestrian and bicycle access will be maintained.
Minister for Roads Luke Donnellan said these "small changes will keep Melbourne moving while we build the Metro Tunnel and a better transport system for Victoria."
"We’re putting people first and building this critical project, to get people home safer and sooner every day," he said.
In addition to these alterations, more than 100 traffic lights at key intersections across inner Melbourne will be re-programmed to improve traffic flow, and CCTV cameras will be installed on alternative routes such as Kings Way and Queens Road, to monitor traffic in real-time and respond to incidents on these key corridors quicker.
