Monash-CityLink-West Gate Upgrade

http://www.bv.com.au/change-the-world/40630/

Bicycle Victoria has been in ongoing discussions with Transurban, VicRoads and the Monash Alliance regarding the Monash-CityLink-West Gate Upgrade project and the impact on riders.
The Victorian Government is working on a $1.4 billion project which includes major upgrades to CityLink's Southern Link, the Monash and West Gate Freeways.
22 May 2008 There a number of locations and implications for this important bike network corridor, ranging from short term diversions to long term improvements. We have been busy trying to ensure that riders can still use this corridor and potentially recieve an improved outcome from the project.
Great Valley Rd to Burke Rd
The Monash Alliance (a consortium doing the work) will need to close the Gardiners Ck Path between Great Valley Rd and Burke Rd while they expand the M1 and extend the eastbound on-ramp from Burke Rd.
There have been message boards up on the path for the last 2 weeks announcing this project. Bicycle Victoria has met with the Monash Alliance and Boroondara City Council to review the proposed detour.
This involves turning north along Great Valley Rd, turning into Haynes Crescent and going through Howard Dawson Reserve. The path through the reserve will be upgraded to accommodate the high volumes.
While this diversion will be practical for the large number of commuting riders who may feel comfortable riding in traffic along the very busy Great Valley Rd, it does not offer a viable solution for the large number of weekend recreational riders including children who will view this as a gap in the trail.
We are pushing for the path to widened on either or both sides of Great Valley Road.

H A Smith Reserve / Glenferrie Rd precinct
The path is due to be realigned between the Hawthorn Velodrome and the approach to H A Smith Reserve during June to accomodate the M1 widening project. This should have a minimal effect on users as the existing path will not be removed until the aternative is in place. There may be some temporary issues at both ends where the new and old alignments join. Please help us keep an eye on it.
This will be a long term improvement for the path and will help alleviate the poor sight lines near the velodrome.