An Expression of Interest has opened for the upgrade of 3.9km of Yan Yean Road in Plenty – one of the most dangerous and congested roads in Victoria’s north.
Victorian Minister for Roads, Luke Donnellan, and VicRoads are seeking applications from construction companies to progress the $131 million upgrade between Diamond Creek Road to Kurrak Road.
Yan Yean Road will expand from two to four lanes, between Diamond Creek Road to Kurrak Road and will also see upgrades to the River Avenue, Kurrak Road and Diamond Creek Road intersections.
“We’re improving safety and reducing congestion for the thousands of drivers who travel on Yan Yean Road every day,” Mr Donnellan said.
“We’ll be speaking to the community throughout the life of the project so we can work together to ensure that these essential safety upgrades are made to Yan Yean Road.”
The upgrade will include a centre median to prevent head-on crashes, straightening the road to improve driver visibility and the addition of new service roads to allow residents to safely access their properties. New off road cycling and pedestrian paths will also be added.
Yan Yean Road currently carries more than 22,000 vehicles per day and has a poor safety record with 44 crashes resulting in one fatality and eight serious injuries since 2010.
Victorian Member for Yan Yean, Danielle Green, said, “We’re putting people first by upgrading Yan Yean Road – making it more reliable and safer by reducing the risk of head on crashes.
“We’re improving safety and reducing congestion for the thousands of drivers who travel on Yan Yean Road every day.
“I look forward to seeing work begin on the Yan Yean Road Upgrade to deliver for drivers the congestion relief and travel time improvements that are desperately needed.”
Yan Yean Road is a key north-south arterial road that links Greensborough and the northern growth area suburbs, including Yarrambat, Mernda and Doreen.
Yan Yean Road, between Kurrak Drive and Bridge Inn Road, and Bridge Inn Road between Yan Yean Road and Plenty Road, were recently declared arterial roads.
Both roads were previously under the authority of local councils, but as arterial roads, they will be managed by VicRoads.
Expressions of interest will close 18 January 2017 with shortlisted companies to be invited to be part of the tender process in March ahead of the start of construction works on the project from mid 2017.
