VIC: Freeway link to open but only free for a week

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-1999
VIC: Freeway link to open but only free for a week

MELBOURNE, Aug 4 AAP - Motorists will travel free on the western link of Melbourne's new
freeway system for at least a week as its opening is phased in from August 15, the builder
revealed today.

The opening date, four months behind schedule, would allow more than 100,000 vehicles a day
to use the western link of the $2 billion expressway, Transurban City Link managing director
Kim Edwards said.

In a bid to avoid traffic chaos on adjacent roads, the exit to the West Gate Freeway for
city-bound traffic would open at a later stage.

Mr Edwards said the state-of-the-art tolling system, which has been plagued by problems and
contributed to the delayed opening, had been tested under simulated conditions and all
glitches had been fixed.

But Transurban wanted to test the system under "live" conditions with high volumes of
traffic.

The toll-free period would be a minimum of one week and "we wouldn't expect it to be much
longer".

If there were any uncertainties with the tolling system, the toll-free period would be
extended.

"I won't be opening this tolling system until I am confident (in the system)," he said.

Mr Edwards said the western link, which joins the Tullamarine and West Gate Freeways via
the Bolte Bridge, had been given the all clear for safety.

"The Bolte Bridge has been checked, then double checked and double checked and double
checked and approved," he said.

"The link is safe and we are ready to go."

The southern link, which joins the West Gate and South Eastern freeways via two tunnels,
was now expected to open at the end of October.

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KEYWORD: CITYLINK OPEN LEAD

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