Drivers in Melbourne’s south-east are a step closer to a better and safer Pound Road West as the Andrews Labor Government’s Suburban Roads Upgrade hits a major new milestone.

The Labor Government today released the Request for Proposal (RFP) to deliver the $2.2 billion north and south-eastern road upgrade packages, allowing bidders to submit their plans for the projects.

Short-listed parties will be required to respond to a Request for Proposal for each of the Northern Roads Upgrade and South-Eastern Roads Upgrade in mid-2019.

More than 2,500 pieces of community feedback have been received since proposed designs for 12 road projects in Melbourne’s north and south-eastern suburbs were released last year.

This valuable insight from road users has helped to refine projects, so the upgraded roads can better meet the needs of those who use them every day.

The South-Eastern Roads Upgrade will make huge improvements to capacity and boost safety on six priority roads, as well as improve and maintain hundreds of kilometres of arterial roads across the south-eastern suburbs.

As part of this project, a two kilometre stretch of Pound Road West and Remington Drive will be duplicated from two to four lanes, including a new bridge over the Cranbourne rail line.

Pound Road West and Remington Drive in Dandenong South will also be connected, to create a new much-needed link over the train line and offer an alternative route for east-west travellers.

This will ease traffic pressure for 40,000 vehicles which rely on these roads every day and offer a direct connection to the freeway network. It will also improve access in and around the Dandenong South industrial precinct.

Key intersections will be upgraded and undergo safety improvements, and new walking and cycling paths will be built to provide better active transport options.

Following public consultation, the proposed design has been changed to include traffic lights at the Hydrive Close intersection, in addition to the traffic lights at Ventura Place.

Meanwhile work is well underway on the $1.8 billion Western Roads Upgrade, the first part of the Suburban Roads Upgrade, with all eight major road upgrades now under construction from Altona North to Tarneit.

The Suburban Roads Upgrade marks the Government’s biggest ever investment in arterial roads, with $4 billion to be spent on upgrades in Melbourne’s outer suburbs.

Construction on the northern and south eastern road upgrades is expected to start from 2020 and is due to be completed at the end of 2025.