Overview

Our aim was to have the lowest possible effect on the local environment while we built a safer and more accessible road for everyone.

We worked hard to minimise our impact on the environment, by protecting trees and vegetation where possible and reusing natural resources that were removed throughout the project.

Breaking down barriers to sustainability

Our commitment to sustainability saw us breaking new ground in Victoria with the introduction of recycled concrete safety barriers along the freeway between Pakenham Rail Line and Cardinia Road.

These eco-friendly barriers are made up of recycled water and human made sand. We've also replaced 30% of the cement required with byproducts that would usually go to landfill. We've constructed these using slipform barrier installation technology.

Instead of trucking 1650 precast barriers to site, the slipform machine moulded fast-drying concrete into the traffic barrier to place.

This means 10km of barriers were installed without mobile cranes, lifting operations or grouting activity, increasing overall productivity and improving safety.

This reduced energy consumption, air pollution, noise levels, dust and traffic disruptions as we upgraded the Monash Freeway.

Fauna and flora biodiversity

As part of our planning process, we completed an assessment of flora and fauna biodiversity values, Aboriginal and historical heritage, contamination and noise.

We focused our flora and fauna biodiversity investigations on the eastern section of the works, between Princes Highway, Narre Warren and Cardinia Road, Officer.

As part of this, we found several patches of native vegetation within the eastern section of the project area. We also found habitat values for several threatened fauna species.

The native vegetation found at Cardinia Creek and Lower Gum Scrub Creek is associated with the Growling Grass Frog ponds. These were created when the Pakenham Bypass was built.

To minimise the effect of the project on these areas, we made them no-go zones while we built.

Read more about the biodiversity values we found in our flora and fauna assessment (PDF, 36.0 MB)

We assessed the western section as part of an earlier report and found nothing that required specific environmental management.

Local heritage

We found no local historical heritage within the boundary of the project. We did find Aboriginal heritage at several locations within the eastern section of the project between Clyde Road and Cardinia Road.

We made sure the Aboriginal places were protected from effects of the project.

O'Shea Road

Caring for the environment

Unlike conventional walking and cycling paths, which use metal reinforcement for strength, the shared-use path along the O’Shea Road extension has been constructed with ‘E-mesh’. ‘E-mesh’ is a plastic fibre made from 100% recycled plastic which replaces the need for steel and reduces the water and carbon emissions associated with concrete reinforcement.

Of the soil used for the O’Shea Road extension and ramp construction at the Beaconsfield interchange, 35,000 cubic metres has been re-used from the centre median of the Monash Freeway and from between Soldiers Road and the Beaconsfield Interchange.

Assessing and protecting trees and vegetation

We consulted a team of independent ecologists to conduct Biodiversity Assessments to determine areas that may have biodiversity sensitivities and to inform our planning.

We also consulted an independent arborist to identify trees that could be retained and trees that required protection during construction.

Where trees were retained, we established a fenced tree protection zone for the duration of construction activities. This protects the area around a tree, above and below ground, to allow the tree to continue growing. We also set up no go zone fences to protect vegetation during construction.

Clearing and replanting trees and vegetation

We share the value the community places on the environment, and we worked hard to minimise tree removal during construction. We anticipated that we needed to remove approximately 900 trees from:

  • the Beaconsfield Interchange
  • O’Shea Road from west of Clyde Road to Soldiers Road
  • Soldiers Road north and south of O’Shea Road.

We appointed vegetation removal contractors who have demonstrated experience working in sensitive areas to carry out these removals. For any native vegetation that we removed, we either replaced them or offset them by acquiring native vegetation with the same ecological value.

We also planted new trees and vegetation at the end of the project replacing what had been removed.

Managing water quality

We identified water sources in and around the project area. Where possible and practical we worked to minimise impacts on these water sources as well as ground water during construction by:

  • monitoring water quality prior to and during construction
  • installing silt curtains in waterways to prevent pollution
  • capturing and treating any water that is created during construction activities so that it does not leave our work site or enter water sources
  • always having spill containment materials available to our workers.

Managing contaminated soil

We identified locations within the project area with potential low levels of contaminated soil.

We managed these locations by:

  • developing an Environmental Improvement Plan for the handling, management and disposal of contaminated soils
  • minimising the disturbance of contaminated land
  • tracking the movement of all contaminated soils
  • disposing contaminated soil in line with Environmental Protection Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

Managing air quality

Construction activities at times create dust. We apply a best practice approach to managing air quality. Where possible and practical we reduced the impacts by:

  • using temporary dust fences as necessary
  • reducing traffic speeds in works areas, to minimise dust generation
  • covering truck loads when travelling to and from the work site
  • hydro-seeding stockpiles of topsoil
  • minimising the time between stripping topsoil and commencing excavation
  • watering areas or using chemical suppressants where earthworks are occurring
  • having additional water carts on standby during hot and windy weather
  • regularly servicing and maintaining equipment so to minimise the amount of smoke
  • using advanced control systems and filters in diesel engines, to reduce emissions
  • using street sweepers to clean local roads if necessary
  • installing rumble grids and wash bays at worksite compounds entry and exit points to reduce mud being tracked onto the road.

Managing waste

We maintain our work areas to ensure that they are kept clean and tidy. Where possible and practical we reduced waste by:

  • providing clearly labelled waste containers
  • ensuring all waste is disposed of appropriately
  • collecting concrete waste and disposing of it in a concrete washout facility
  • covering all vehicles transporting waste
  • recycling or reusing waste materials where possible.

Protecting wildlife

Where possible and practical we reduced our impact on wildlife in the area during construction. Prior to removal, trees were inspected for the presence of animals, with a wildlife carer on hand to safely remove and relocate any animals found.