BUILDING VICTORIA’S FUTURE: WILL THE PANDEMIC SLOW US – OR GROW US? The Victorian Department of Transport is responsible for planning, building and operating Victoria’s integrated transport system. Our vision is to meet the aspirations of Victorians for a transport system that is simple, connected, accessible, reliable, sustainable and safe, while supporting a productive and growing economy.
RECORD INVESTMENT Our Major Transport Infrastructure Authority is delivering the biggest infrastructure investment program in Victoria’s history – Victoria’s ‘Big Build’. More than $70 billion is being invested to meet estimated future demand for more than 23 million journeys a day and a tripling of freight by 2050. These projects include the city-wide Level Crossing Removal Project, the new Metro Tunnel, major arterial road and suburban train line upgrades and extensions, the West Gate Tunnel, North East Link, and the Regional Rail Revival, which will see upgrades across every regional passenger line in the state.
THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC When the coronavirus (COVID-19) began to spread in Victoria, as an essential service, transport operations ensured that frontline workers in health and other important sectors continued to have access to jobs. Given the scale of Victoria’s food production, and the role of Port of Melbourne as Australia’s busiest container port, keeping Victoria moving was of critical importance to the nation. Continuing construction was also critical in transport infrastructure delivery, with stringent health and safety measures in place to ensure works could continue.
BUILDING THROUGH THE LOCKDOWN To stimulate economic recovery, the Victorian Government announced the $2.7 billion Building Works package to support projects and jobs in metropolitan and regional Victoria. The package includes funding for maintenance and upgrades of roads, public transport infrastructure, active transport, pier and jetty upgrades, rubbish and graffiti removal, and management of vegetation along road corridors. When the Stage Four restrictions came into place in early August, the Victorian Government allowed critical infrastructure projects to continue. Victoria demonstrated that large-scale PA R TN E R S H IP S 2 0 2 0
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