Drivers through Epping and Mill Park are already benefitting from safer and faster trips following the opening of all new lanes on the Childs Road Upgrade.
Motorists once frustrated with bottlenecks and choke points, are now enjoying a smoother journey with 1.5 kilometres of two continuous lanes in either direction over the Darebin Creek – the additional capacity slashing up to six minutes off round trips during the morning and afternoon peaks.
Construction is underway on a new rest area acknowledging Epping-Mill Park’s rich indigenous heritage and is expected to be used by many in the community, when it opens later this summer.
Centrepiece of the ‘Darebin Creek Lookout’ will be a paved aboriginal art piece that will tell the story of ancient movements and campsites of the Wurundjeri-balluk and Wurundjeri-willam clans who lived on Darebin Creek.
In a first for Victoria’s Big Build, used coffee grounds from cafes across Melbourne’s north are being used to conserve and improve topsoil quality along the shoulders of Childs Road, powering our growing circular economy.
Used coffee grounds equivalent to just over a quarter of a million lattes will be composted into the road project as the Childs Road Upgrade supports this new and innovative process to divert food waste from landfill – totalling almost 9.5 tonnes.
The project has also used more than 6 tonnes of eMesh, an Australian-made product comprised of 100 per cent recycled plastic, which replaces traditional steel mesh and non-recycled plastic fibres to reduce plastic waste that ends up in landfill.
MRPV has and continues to work closely with construction partner ACE - who bring a high level of capability, capacity and expertise to build a Childs Road that Epping-Mill Park needs for the future.
This collaborative, mutually beneficial approach to infrastructure partnerships – from procurement to delivery – has been made possible by the Program Delivery Approach (PDA).
The Program Delivery Approach is genuinely collaborative, bringing together the valuable experience and knowledge of MRPV and industry –by working together, and sharing experience and knowledge, MRPV and contractors under the PDA model are able to find solutions and innovations to improve project delivery.
With greater certainty and visibility of upcoming projects, businesses have more confidence to invest in people, resources and technology, helping to grow a competitive, sustainable infrastructure market, boosting the state’s economy and creating thousands of local jobs.
Importantly, the PDA also includes social inclusion and environmental protection requirements into contracts to ensure projects add social and community value.
Find out more about the Childs Road Upgrade