Melb's $5.5b Western Distributor

MELBOURNE'S $5.5 BILLION WESTERN DISTRIBUTOR

WHAT IS IT?

* A new Transurban toll road to connect the West Gate Freeway in Melbourne's west to CityLink in the north.

* It will take the pressure off the West Gate Bridge, which is the major western route into the city over the Yarra River.

WASN'T MELBOURNE ALREADY BUILDING A TOLL ROAD?

* Yes, the East West Link. The Labor government tore up the contract when it won the 2014 election, at a cost of $1.1 billion.

* Labor argued Victorians had not had a chance to vote on whether they wanted the road.

SO THIS NEW ROAD WAS AN ELECTION PROMISE?

* No. Labor knew about Transurban's plans for the road before the election, but only announced it months after the election.

WHO WILL BUILD IT?

* The newly formed Western Distributor Authority will have responsibility for delivering it, after the Linking Melbourne Authority was axed after the election.

WHO WILL PAY FOR IT?

* Mainly motorists. Victoria has committed about $2 billion, the rest will come from drivers paying tolls on all of Melbourne's toll roads until 2045.

* Transurban owns CityLink and Eastlink and were due to hand them to the state government in 2035 before this deal was done.

WHEN WILL IT OPEN?

* A bit unclear but construction starts at the end of 2017.

SOURCE: Victorian government.