Brimbank Council has launched a campaign calling on the State and Federal governments to fix the Calder, make it safe, get it moving and do it now.
Council is seeking immediate and urgent upgrades along the Calder Corridor between the interchanges of the Western Ring Road (M80) and Gap Road in Sunbury.
Community members can pledge their support by signing a petition that Council will lodge with State Parliament later this year. People can also share their stories and experiences of driving on the Calder at fixthecalder.brimbank.vic.gov.au.
The Calder Freeway has been identified as one of Victoria's most dangerous roads and safety improvements are urgently needed.
Council is calling on the State and Federal governments to invest in several major upgrades that will improve safety on the Calder, reduce congestion and provide better access and connections to cater for population and freight growth.
Council wants the Calder works to include the following:
- Upgrade the Calder Freeway between the Western Ring Road (M80) and the Melton Highway to bring it up to freeway standard:
- Add lanes from Keilor Park Drive to Melton Highway
- Widen the Maribyrnong River Bridge
- Build a full diamond interchange at the intersection of the Calder Freeway and Calder Park Drive
- Remove the level crossing of the Sunbury train line on Calder Park Drive
- Duplicate Calder Park Drive between the Calder Freeway and the Melton Highway. As a top priority, Council is calling for construction of a full diamond interchange at the intersection of the Calder Freeway and Calder Park Drive, to bring this section up to freeway standard.
While Council welcomed the $50 million announcement from the Federal Government to upgrade part of the Calder Freeway, realistically, any significant improvement will cost much, much more. In the meantime, while the State Government Department of Transport has announced an investigation into investment priorities along the Calder, nothing more has progressed on project design or delivery timelines, nor any additional funding commitment from the State Government.
At a minimum, Council is calling on the State Government to match the Federal Government's funding commitment, and also to consider the North-West City Deal for potential greater investment from both governments to fully upgrade the Calder Freeway corridor.
The Council petition calling for an upgrade to the Calder can be signed online at fixthecalder.brimbank.vic.gov.au. Printed copies are also available at Council centres for anyone who wants to add their name.
From 2015-2019 between the Western Ring Road and Gap Road Sunbury, there have been 81 crashes, more than a hundred people injured, four lives lost and countless near misses.
Please attribute to Cr Ranka Rasic, Brimbank Mayor
"Council is proud to campaign to fix the Calder. We want State and Federal governments to fix the Calder, get it moving and do it now.
"We want the State and Federal governments to invest in several major essential upgrades. These Calder upgrades are long overdue and will deliver safer road connections for everyone travelling in the area.
"I'd like to encourage everyone to support Brimbank's petition to fix the Calder.
"Sign the petition and share your stories on our fixthecalder.brimbank.vic.gov.au website. You can even mark up a map on this website with where you had an accident or a near miss. This will help support the call to fix this dangerous freeway."
