[COM] South Road Superway | $842m | 3km

[Omicron]

Those apartments on the left are the most horrid new buildings I've seen in a long time. I pass by them often, and feel ill every single time. Godawful cheap, square boxes made from milk-cartons and kitchen scraps, they are.

[Wayno]

hope there are funds for more underpasses along South Rd in the budget - 54mins before we find out!

[muzzamo]

it will be interesting.. nothing of the sort has been specifically hinted at, only "major new transport infrastructure". My completely uneducated guess is a tram, but no doubt there will be plenty of talk on this site post budget.

[shiftaling]

So is the Port Road/Grange Road underpass a fizzer? Haven't heard about it for a while (though I haven't read the budget papers, I'm a bit lazy and besides,I'd rather get the real lowdown here )

[AtD]

I would say it's a "long term plan".

[Wayno]

So is the Port Road/Grange Road underpass a fizzer? Haven't heard about it for a while (though I haven't read the budget papers, I'm a bit lazy and besides,I'd rather get the real lowdown here )

definitely not a fizzer. The Govt purchased all necessary land north of Port Rd. Just a matter of time.

[muzzamo]

my guess is that its waiting on federal funding now.

[Cruise]

I didn't think it was getting any funding from eastlink?

[AG]

I didn't think it was getting any funding from eastlink?

You mean Auslink don't you? Eastlink is the motorway project in Melbourne that is set to open this month.

[Cruise]

I didn't think it was getting any funding from eastlink?

You mean Auslink don't you? Eastlink is the motorway project in Melbourne that is set to open this month.

I mean Auslink but i call it Eastlink due to the eastern states getting more than their fair share of the funding. But now with king Rudd running the show i gues i should now start calling it Qldlink?

[Will]

my guess is that its waiting on federal funding now.

Yes, that is what's happening.

[monotonehell]

...But now with king Rudd running the show i gues i should now start calling it Qldlink?

That's Emperor Rudd, thank you. Get it right!

[cleverick]

I have said it before, I will say it again.
If the government spent money to slow and then reverse growth in road freight, putting it on rails, and offered better public transport in the form of heavy rail to more places, it would not have to spend all this money on South Road at all.
And while you're on the subject of short-term pain for long-term gain, what about peak oil? What about Global Warming and Kyoto? What about the costs of upkeep- roads with such heavy use will need regular and frequent repairs, while in the long term, rail is probably the cheaper option afterall!

[Howie]

rail is probably the cheaper option afterall!

citation needed.. afaik rail is a more expensive than road freight - but the loads they carry are different.

[Cruise]

And I guess freight trains are fueled by pixie dust?