The Government of Victoria in Australia has released 10,000 pages of its Environment Effects Statement (EES) for the West Gate Tunnel project and invited residents living in the western region to give feedback. 

According to the EES report, the West Gate Tunnel project would cut travel time between Melbourne and the western suburbs, including Geelong and Ballarat by nearly 20 minutes and is expected to take nearly 9,000 trucks off from the residential streets in the inner west region. 

The new tunnel will serve as an alternative to the West Gate Bridge and will be used by more than 67,000 vehicles on a day to day basis.

The Victorian Government further explained that the new project has the potential to create nearly 6,000 new employment opportunities.  

Victoria Minister for Roads Luke Donnellan said: “We’re building the longest road tunnel Victoria has ever seen, connecting the west to the CBD and the port, and we’ll do it without closing lanes during peak periods.

“We’re going through one of the most comprehensive environmental investigations in Victoria’s history to make sure that the West Gate Tunnel is built to the highest environmental standards.”

The project will also see the planting of nearly 17,000 trees, including 4,000 mature trees, to replace those removed during the construction process.

The EES report also suggests that there will be no significant change in the health of the community associated with the project. 

"We’re building the longest road tunnel Victoria has ever seen."

Victoria parliament member for Williamstown Wade Noonan said: “We know how important taking trucks off local roads is to our community, that’s why we’re getting on with it, shifting more than 9,000 trucks per day from residential streets to the West Gate Tunnel.”

For building this tunnel, authorities will be using two custom-made tunnel boring machines to move nearly 1.5 million cubic metres of rock and soil.

In order to minimise disruptions on the West Gate Freeway and Footscray Road, new construction methods will be used by officials, keeping all lanes operational even during the peak construction periods.

The government will be accepting public’s opinion on the EES, EPA Works Approval application and draft Planning Scheme Amendment until 10 July this year.


Image: Victoria Government releases EES for the West Gate Tunnel project. Photo: courtesy of Government of Victoria.