West Gate Tunnel: Difference between revisions

Tunnel ventilation structures were deemed to be generally compliant with environmental standards. Air quality was expected to improve near roads that would be the subject of permanent truck curfews, but increased traffic volumes on some roads, including Millers Road and Geelong Road, would have a negative effect on air quality.<ref>{{Citation | title =Technical Report J: Human Health Impact Assessment | place = Melbourne | publisher = Western Distributor Authority | date = May 2017 | pages = 75 | url = https://www.dropbox.com/s/hsso0k638gkfxs3/Technical%20report%20J%20Human%20health.pdf?dl=1}}</ref><ref group="note">EES findings on Williamstown Road indicate the level of conflicting information in technical reports on transport, air quality and human health impacts. While Technical Reports A (transport impacts, p.346) and L (Social impacts, p. 49) noted trucks would increase by 1500 a day, and maps in Technical Report A (p.116, 345) indicate the increase could be as much as 2100 trucks a day, or almost double the 2016 figure, Technical Report G (air quality, p.162, 213) stated the increase was just 750 trucks a day, or a 56 percent rise, but also said pollution concentrations would fall on Williamstown Road "due to the reduction in HCVs". Williamstown Road modelling, conducted by Barry Cook, James Forrest, David Featherston and Len Ng of Golder Associates, was based on receptors at a single location at the intersection with Thomas Street, which will benefit from a projected 40 percent reduction in truck volumes when the tunnel opens. (p.220,221) No modelling was conducted for sections of the road where truck volumes will increase.</ref> The EES Social Impact Assessment noted the significant heavy traffic increases for both Millers and Williamstown roads were problematic for residents. Millers Road residents would suffer a decrease in safety and amenity and greater difficulty in reaching services and facilities south of the West Gate Freeway, while on Williamstown Road it would affect connectivity and travel times, as well as affecting the likelihood of cyclists and pedestrians using and crossing the road. Of Williamstown Road, the report noted: "This is a significant change for a road which has a high proportion of residential frontages, and high density residential areas east and west of the road itself."<ref>{{Citation | title =Technical Report L: Social Impact Assessment | place = Melbourne | publisher = Western Distributor Authority | date = May 2017 | pages = 49 | url = https://www.dropbox.com/s/c9vc8r3e8i166z5/Technical%20report%20L%20Social.pdf?dl=1}}</ref>