Aspendale Gardens Residents Association, Inc

Phone; 03 9587 5483. E-Mail;

Website –

AGRA – MPF UPDATE

AspendaleGardens

Residents Association, Inc

If you want the MorningtonPeninsula Freeway Extension completed orif you wish to comment on the project we strongly encourage all residents and road users to complete the on line VicRoadsNorthernExtensionMorningtonPeninsula Freeway Extension Feasibility Study. Closing Date is Friday 13th July 2012.

Go To:

Survey link

VicRoads webpage

Based on continuingresident demand AGRA has for over 17 years worked with various politicians, Vic Roads and Council to get the northern section of the MorningtonPeninsula Freeway Extension completed. In order for that to be done the Dingley By-Pass needed to be constructed first. Construction of the Dingley By-Pass is planned to commence in 2014 and will take about two years to complete. The MPF will join the Dingley By-Pass halfway between Westall Roadand South Road.

BecauseKingston businesses and the Dingley community needed the Dingley By-Pass to be built as an east west link and because the MPF Extension could not be constructed until the Dingley By-Pass was built AGRA actively supported and promotedboth projects. In 1999 the Labor Party promised to construct both projects and to complete them by 2010. Once achieving government they failed to keep their promise. Our residents and those of Kingstonand road users including businesses have suffered ever since.

We have been told that the work AGRA has done over the years has significantly contributed to the current state government pre-election policy and their subsequent decision in government to commence construction of the Dingley By-Pass between Westall and South Road/Warragul Road with completion by 2016.Prior to the last state election the Liberal Party said that they would carry out a feasibility study on how to construct the Northern MPF Extension. That promise has also come to fruition with Vic Roads now carrying out this information gathering feasibility study to assess the need and benefits and the impact of providing a future road or freeway in the reservation as shown on generations of Melway Maps.

Some history:The City of Kingston Long Beach Community Forum, including Edithvale, Aspendale, AspendaleGardens, Waterways, Chelsea, ChelseaHeightsresidents voted construction of the MPF Extension as their priority project and Council adopted completion of the northern section of the MPF as a major COK objective.Since then traffic conditions and the destruction of residential amenity have got significantly worse throughout Kingston.

It is now your opportunity to have your say on completion of the MPF and to raise any concerns you may have with designs etc. AGRA strongly believes that the Northern Mornington Peninsula Freeway Extension needs to be completed within the next four to five years. The MPF Extension will assist the amenity of our residents and ratepayers as well as our own road users.

Current Situation:

The Labor Government also told us that construction of Eastlink would result in a reduction of traffic on Wells Roadby 30%. The outcome was an initial drop of 3% which was negligible andhas since climbed back above the original numbers.

The Mornington Peninsula Freeway is part of the 1969 Melbourne Transport Plan. The Vic Roads website includes the following statement: Vic Roads Website Northern extension, “There are also calls from various lobby groups to complete the northern section of the MorningtonPeninsula Freeway, approx. 5km from Springvale Road to Centre Dandenong Rd and from Centre Dandenong Rd it would join the proposed Dingley Freeway. This would reduce the heavy traffic now seen on Wells Road through AspendaleGardens and White Street in Mordialloc (Aspendale Gardens-Mordialloc Bypass).”

Traffic volumes continue to increase throughout the Nepean Transport Corridor which includesWells Roadand lies between South Road and Frankston. See map.The result is major commuter and business transport delays incurring associated costs.

Some local and regional examples of delays etc during rush periods include:

  • Traffic delays along the whole of the Nepean Highway Transport Corridor particularly from South Road including Wells Road through Mordialloc, Chelsea and on down to Frankston. Thisis no longer acceptable. This is being compounded by ongoing infill housing developments which are encouraged by government and increase public transport demand as well as bringing at least one additional vehicle with each development. We are choking!
  • Delays at rail crossings during rush periods at Mordialloc (2 crossings) and further south.
  • Delays at MPF/Springvale Road junction both north and southbound.
  • Major bottlenecks and delays on Wells Road in both directions.
  • Major delays at the Boundary Road/Governor Road roundabout.
  • Delays at Springvale Road/Greens Road and Hutton Roads including for traffic travelling north and trying to turn right onto Hutton Road.
  • Delays at Waterways entrances on Springvale and Governor Roads. Also a rat run within the Waterways estate with vehicles trying to miss the bottlenecks at Springvale Road to the MPF.
  • Edithvale Road traffic is increasing with major traffic movement problems at the railway crossing at the Nepean Highway junction. This is particularly so for vehicles trying to turn right from the Nepean Highway across the railway crossing onto Edithvale Road. The good news is that the problem is linked to increased public transport trains.
  • Heavy traffic loadings on Springvale Road between Hutton and the Cheltenham Road and to Westall Road.
  • Westall Road (Future Dingley Arterial) travelling south also banks up at night at Springvale Road.
  • Governor Road traffic volumes have now reached a stage where the road needs to be constructed as a 4 lane highway. This will bring further traffic loads through the region.

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  • Some traffic issues constantly raised by residents within AspendaleGardens need to be listed. These include:
  • Major bottlenecks trying to exit or enter from some residential areas onto Wells Road including junctions where serious accidents have taken place, for example Winners Circle, Royal Palms etc.
  • The need for traffic controls at Wells Road and Winners Circle to allow safe traffic movement is a priority including for school children trying to catch the bus to school.
  • Traffic backing up in rush periods from the Wells/Springvale junction sometimes back to Sutherland Drive. Major delays travelling north in the mornings delayed at the Governor Road roundabout sometimes backed up pastSanctuary Place.
  • A number of drivers cut through Aspendale Gardens using the Langslow, Kearney, Brannagan Roads and Gilchrist Way to get to Edithvale Road and then onto the Freeway.
  • There are no reservations on Wells road for cyclists across the Wells Road – Mordialloc Creek Bridge or across the roundabout at Governor and Boundary Road or along Boundary Road itself, provision will have to be made in the future. It is not safe to cycle to work in the Braeside Industrial Estate etc.
  • We have major noise and health issues with such heavy traffic volumes travelling through AspendaleGardens on Wells Road.
  • We also have many vehicles speeding along Wells Roadand going through red lights. These drivers think they are already on the freeway.
  • No doubt you could add to this list.

Other Issues

  • Commuters including workers and the heavy transport that service our business and industrial base are travelling into and through our region. They are becoming more and more frustrated with the delays they encounter particularly in the Kingston region. Our Council are concerned at the impact our poor traffic system may have on the viability of some local businesses.
  • Refer to figures later in this report. The government are promoting infill housing along major transport corridors and we can see the long term benefits of this. However each new house brings extra people and their own need for public and private transport within Kingston and in particular along the Nepean transport corridor, see map.
  • Future developments including new housing and industry related to the soon to be completed development of the Southern Extension of the Mornington Peninsula Freeway will increase traffic into Kingston and beyond.
  • Increased traffic impacts have yet to be felt from growth areas such as Cranbourne and Lyndhurst.
  • New industrial developments within Kingston including at MoorabbinAirport will increase internal traffic loadings within Kingston.
  • Major industrial and residential developments to the South East will contribute to increased traffic volumes in our region.

Benefits of Constructing the MPF Northern Extension

  • Completion of the northern section of the MPF will bring freeway travel one third closer to the southern Melbourne employment region.
  • Freeway users will be use freeway driving conditions from one end of the MPF to the other.
  • Reduced traffic congestion throughout large areas of Kingston including on the Nepean Highway south of South Road and including Wells Road, Governor Road, Springvale Road, White Street, Station Street etc.
  • Improved Travel times by creating better connections and access throughout the area.
  • Take traffic volume out of the Nepean Transport Corridor thereby easing many of the traffic problems identified. See map.
  • Contribute to reducing greenhouse emissions.
  • Lower wear and tear on vehicles.

A3 Map

A3 Map

  • Reduce noise and exhaust emissions, a major health issue. Less emissions running at optimal speeds.
  • Improve bus travel times (including for school buses ).
  • Enable more tourists to visit the MorningtonPeninsula without spoiling the amenity of residents in the Nepean Corridor.
  • Reduction in fuel usage and cost for users and workers in particular and for business.
  • Majorreduction in accidents by moving traffic away from local roads and reducing congestion thereby reducing demand on hospital and emergency services.
  • Reduced vehicle maintenance costs.
  • Improve the amenity for thousands of residents through a reduction of traffic within Kingston suburbs.
  • The MPF Extension will allow freeway travel from South Road/Warragul Road right down to Rosebud.
  • There will be a reduction of heavy transport through our suburbs resulting in a reduction to the maintenance costs of local roads.
  • Looking ahead the Warragul Road terminal could well be developed in some way as a second northerly route to the Monash Freeway, the Eastern Freeway and onto the Hume Freeway. Such a link is badly needed in Melbourne to reduce the massive north south cross city congestion that is a killer for Melbourne.(See the AGE 11/10/10 Proposed 2040 Road Network Development 2040 including maps)

Benefits to industry and the City of Kingston of the MFP Northern Freeway Extension

Kingston has the 2nd highest economic output [$6.5B pa] in Australia behind only Brisbane, and is the second largest industrial/manufacturing region in Victoria.

SE Melbourne produces 46% of manufactured industrial output

Kingston & Dandenong produce 70% of regions technology output

Kingston & Dandenong produce 75% of regions advanced manufacturing output

1,000,000 - 40% of Melbourne population work, live and play in the south east

Kingston population forecast growth of 26,000 by 2030

Cities to the south of Kingston will grow by 166,000

Casey will grow 119,000

An integrated freeway system would help traffic flows, reduce costs and make the area more competitive thus retaining jobs and attract and encourage new business to the area.

Support development and employment in our region. We need to be alert to the fact that most future developments are to the north/west areas of Melbourne and we need to keep businesses in our region. They need good transport links; the Dingley By-Pass brings an east west link while the MPF brings a north south link. Remember major developments are also planned in the future at the Hastings Port. Some traffic will come through to Kingston from that area bringing extra pressure on our roads.

New industrial developments and opportunities in Dandenong South and Frankston as well as the Moorabbin Airport Plan will increase traffic volumes within the Kingston region.

An Integrated Freeway System - Dingley & MPF will achieve Kingston’s objectives of improved Freight movement, increased Employment and support increased regional Tourism.

Greater Dandenong will grow by 42,000

Prerequisites for the Construction of the Northern MPF Extension

We are very much alert to the need to construct the freeway to meet the needs of not only the users but also the local community who live close to the reservation. Following are some prerequisites that AGRA feel would be necessary to ensure that the proposed freeway meets the needs of our community:

  • A freeway should be constructed, not an arterial road, as this will just duplicate the current issues we face.
  • The freeway will need to be designed to minimise environmental impacts and to accommodate flora and fauna needs.
  • The design will have to minimise the visual impact of the freeway for example if possible keep it low with existing roads built over the freeway.
  • The risk of flooding must not be increased in fact it should be minimised.
  • We suggest that the freeway have sound attenuation along its whole length to minimise any noise to residential areas but also to minimise noise in reserves such as BraesidePark. The sound attenuation structures to be designed to complement the area with bike paths water features and planted wetlands to minimise visual impact.
  • Ensure maximum distance possible from existing residential properties. The very latest low noise road surfaces to be used as currently used on the southern end of the Hume Highway.
  • In fact this is a great opportunity to develop a screen of native trees and shrubs that not only camouflage the sound barriers but also provide a flora and fauna corridor along the full length of the freeway. This combined with the water features and bicycle and walking trails would make the freeway an environmental asset.

General Comment:

The freeway reservation must be kept. Government cannot let this reservation be lost for future generations. In fact we need the freeway now as promised by the Labor Party and Labor Government over 10 years ago when they guaranteed construction by the end of 2010. This is the only coastal freeway link that Melbourne has that will commence close to the city!

Many people purchased their properties in the region on the basis that the freeway would be built and are looking for this study to cause that to happen this includes residents in AspendaleGardens. Manyresidents also purchased their properties in the region knowing that the freeway reservation has been shown on all maps formany decades and that the road could be built at any time.We all need to remember that this is a bigger project than just one area; it is a regional project of need and benefit to all road users and to all residents of Kingston.

We suggest that there will be cost benefits by constructing the MPFas the Dingley construction moves towards completion. The junction where the MPF and Dingley meet could then be continued on as the MPF Extension with works at both ends of the project joining in the middle when finished. This would keep the skilled workers in our region with jobs for people in our region.

As you know AGRA actively supportsimproved public transport systems however due to continued and planned increased population growth the car and heavy vehicles continue to be needed. The good news is there is now a swing toward very efficient vehicles that are quiet and use very small amounts of carbon producing fuels. These include hybrids, full electric vehicles, hydrogen powered vehicles and many alternative methods of propulsion, so we believe that while traffic volumes willcontinue toincreasethe community will benefit from more efficient and less costly ways to drive around. Efficient Freeway systems will help.

What if MPF Extension is not built or is delayed well into the future through the use of short term fixes?

For example:Vic Roads carries out work that may reduce the current bottlenecks at the Governor/Boundary Road Roundabout and at the Wells/Springvale MPF Entrance.

These issues may be considerations that Vic Roads could address in the short term however it is our strong belief that if such work were successful it would only be a short term fix on the basis that once traffic started to flow smoothly along Wells Road then drivers who use other routes would transfer to Wells Road thereby increasing traffic volumes and ultimately creating the same traffic back up problems we have now. The only difference would be that the extra volume of traffic would exacerbate the current situation by increasing vehicle numbers, increasing accidents, limiting entry and exit for AspendaleGardens residents onto and from Wells Road, increased fumes and noise.