画虎不成反类犬，政府弄巧成拙陷深渊

州政府上周宣布將在 West gate 高速公路 和Footscray 路段之間興建新的收費道路，此一收費路段被稱為 Western Distributor。 路段雖短，但工程耗資 50億澳幣，政府更因此深陷為因應開銷而需延長 CityLink收費期限 12 年以上的深淵。

這項全新的收費路段僅分散由西向東， West gate 高速往CityLink 的車潮，但基於沒有在 Eastern 高速和 CityLink 路段間做出連接，此舉導致 Western Distributor 路段畫虎不成反類犬，不但對東部和東南部的交通擁堵於事無補，對每況愈下的維州交通更是杯水車薪。

州長 Daniel Andrews 與其支付 11 億澳幣在東西環線的違約金、建設虛有其表的 Western Distributor 收費道路，還不如務實的興建前州長 Napthine 政府規劃的東西環線道路 (East West Link)。

鑑古而知今，古時大禹治水其訣竅不外乎疏濬導引，耗費巨資興建 Western Distributor 實非長治久安之策。 如欲真正造福於民，那也唯有連接維州東西主要交通幹道方能真正達到舒緩擁堵車流、改善交通惡況等功效。 
 

英文版/ English version

New tollway provides only half a link

Last week the State government announced it would build a new tollway between the West gate Freeway and the city end of Footscray Road – called the “Western Distributor”.

The tollway will cost $5 billion, and tolls will be extended on the existing CityLink for at least 12 more years to help pay for it.

The problem with this new tollway is that it provides only half of the second link that we need between Melbourne’s east and west. There will still be no link from the Eastern Freeway to CityLink, meaning eastern and south-eastern suburbs motorists will remain stuck in traffic for years to come.

Premier Andrews should have continued with the East West Link started by Premier Napthine, instead of scrapping it at a cost of $1.1 billion and replacing it with this inferior new tollway.