The Birth of a Quicker Trip to the Beach

TMR's readers from Melbourne, Australia, might enjoy this one.  Eastlink is a freeway/tollway project that has been underway for some years now, and despite various protesting and federal government backpedaling, the project is finally drawing to a close.

Linking the city of Melbourne to the coastal city of Frankston—via the Eastern Freeway and then further on to the Eastlink tollway (which itself technically starts at the suburb of Mitcham)—the main point to this new stretch of tarmac is that I can now get to the beautiful Mornington Peninsula about four or five times quicker than ever before.  Forget whatever economic benefits it might also bring to that area of the state, I needs me some beach!

Ah yes, to think of all the nights I've driven past one of the many entrance ramps for the nearly complete tollway at 2am, wondering at how long I'd be able to scream along the brand new—and empty—road before the police chase would begin.

While I may not have the stones myself, those of you eager to map out your 300kmh run along this empty stretch check out the progress of the construction works can check out this great flyover video.  The flyover videos of Eastlink are nothing new—they've been offering them almost as long as the project's been running—but as we draw closer to completion, the videos become quite a bit more interesting to watch.

[video link]