Engagement the key to Victoria’s transport evolution
Victoria is future-proofing its transport network so it will deliver simple, safe, connected journeys for generations to come. Projections show that by 2050, 10 million people will live in Victoria and Melbourne will be a global city of 8 million. By 2051, freight volumes will triple to almost 900 million tonnes, and the roads, rails and footpaths will have to handle 14 million more trips a day, on top of the 23 million they currently handle. This is why the Victorian Government’s Department of Transport is focused on creating a transport system that is in step with other global cities and caters to future users. Begun six years ago and pressed ahead during COVID-19 lockdowns, the government’s transformative investment in transport infrastructure is dominated by Victoria’s Big Build – an $80 billion infrastructure program that supports more than 50,000 jobs. Victoria’s Big Build includes city-shaping projects like the North East Link and the Metro Tunnel, a level crossing removal program on track to remove 85 dangerous crossings by 2025, and a comprehensive agenda of road and rail improvements in regional areas. The pace of transport investment accelerated further in 2021 after the Victorian Budget injected a record $21 billion into new infrastructure, including substantial allocations for transport. According to Infrastructure Partnerships Australia’s analysis, infrastructure investment now makes up one in every four dollars spent by the Victorian Government - describing this commitment as the “State’s highest infrastructure spend on record”. The budget also supported a pipeline of projects including the Melbourne Airport Rail that will start construction in 2022 and the Suburban Rail Loop, which is forecast to create 20,000 construction jobs. Such momentum would be impossible without effective engagement between planners, designers, engineers and related disciplines across government, industry and the community. To encourage greater engagement and co-ordination, two years ago the Department of Transport embarked on a process of integration – bringing all road, rail and other transport-related activities under one roof.
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