For the first time in Victoria, a state-owned company will be set-up to collect tolls for a road project.
The North East Link revenue will go towards the cost of building and maintaining the link.
A bill was passed in parliament on March 4, which will include creating the new State Tolling Corporation to provide tolling and enforcement powers.
Tolls collected will pay for long term maintenance, ensuring the upkeep of tunnels, road surface and roadside areas.
Parliament will have approval and revocation rights for specific tolling arrangements including base tolls and rates of escalation.
Toll points will be finalised once the preferred bidder for the North East Link’s primary package has been selected.
The Eastern freeway will remain toll free, with new express lanes and a dedicated busway, so will other local roads like Greensborough Highway and the M80 Ring Road.
Once built, the North East Link will carry up to 135,000 vehicles daily to connect the M80 and Eastern Freeway. The project is expected to reduce travel times by 35 minutes and take 15,000 trucks off local roads.
Works are set to start soon to move underground utilities, including 34 kilometres of gas, water and sewer pipes and drains.
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