Federal Budget commits $2.3b for infrastructure in Melbourne’s north
Published on 30 March 2022
Hume City Council welcomes the Australian Government’s decision to invest $2.3 billion in Melbourne’s north in the 2022-23 Federal Budget, including upgrading Mickleham Road and backing the Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal.
Mickleham Road is a key north-south link in the Northern Growth Corridor. It connects established communities in Hume with the fast-growing suburbs of Greenvale, Craigieburn and Mickleham, which are expected to grow by almost 40 per cent by 2036. Council has long advocated for funding for this important arterial road as traffic volumes have increased by over 50% in the last seven years.
Hume awaits the detail on the project in the hope that the funding will see the road duplicated between Somerton Road and Craigieburn Road.
The Federal funding is part of a wider Melbourne Intermodal Terminal Package, which will pump $3.1 billion into the state’s freight network, connecting road and rail, and removing 5,500 truck movements per day from Melbourne arterial roads over the next 15 years.
Federal Budget commitments in Tuesday’s Budget include:
- $109.5 million for the Mickleham Road Upgrade
- $1.2 billion for the Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal, taking the Australian Government’s total investment to $1.62 billion, and
- $280 million for road connections, including Camerons Lane Interchange, to the Beveridge Interstate Freight Terminal.
Council advocated for both the Mickleham Road duplication and the Beveridge freight terminal investment through the North and West Melbourne City Deal Proposal, in partnership with other local Councils, NORTH Link and La Trobe University.
Hume City Council Mayor, Councillor Carly Moore said:
“This $2.3 billion infrastructure funding injection will create thousands of jobs and stimulate the economy across the north of Melbourne as we rebound from COVID-19.
“We thank the Australian Government for these strategic investments, which reinforce our position as a powerhouse capable of driving growth in the Victorian and national economies.
“Hume City Council is excited to see significant Federal investment in the Mickleham Road upgrade, after calling for State and Federal funding for this project over many years. Should the funding not be enough to get the road duplicated to Craigieburn Road we will ramp up our efforts to call on the Victorian Government to match the Federal contribution and help relieve traffic congestion for the fast-growing communities of Melbourne’s north.”