UPDATE: COVID-19 testing at Northern Hospital has been suspended, with the site at capacity.
Large queues have formed at COVID testing sites across the northern suburbs, with wait times of more than one hour at a number of sites, according to the department of health.
The department has published testing site wait times on its website, revealing a wait of 75 minutes at Northern Hospital’s drive-through testing site on Cooper Street in Epping.
There is a wait of 60 minutes at DPV Health’s drive-through testing site at Schotters Road in Mernda.
Testing sites at Hume council in Broadmeadows, Mickleham Road in Tullamarine and La Trobe University in Bundoora are experiencing a 30-minute wait.
By Alesha Capone
Residents living close to the Princes Freeway in Werribee have expressed disappointment that noise barriers have not been installed as part of the Duncans Road interchange upgrade.
The state government recently announced completion of the interchange project, under the $1.8 billion Western Roads Upgrade.
However, Star Weekly published an article last year, in which a resident called for noise walls to be installed along a section of the freeway near Christina Court and surrounding streets.
The resident said “noise pollution” coming from the freeway was causing “health issues” and “mental fatigue” for him and others in the area.
By Oliver Lees
Increased congestion along the Bulla Bridge poses a “potential hazard for the whole community”, according to qualified civil engineer Steve Bock.
Mr Bock inspected the heritage-listed bridge following the approval of Hi-Quality’s planning scheme amendment, which paves the way for it to accept spoil from the West Gate Tunnel project.
According to a report presented to a Hume council meeting on September 7, 2020, trucks would transport soil to Hi-Quality’s site 24-hours a day, seven days a week for 18 to 24 months.
The report stated that a traffic assessment had estimated there would be 36 truck movements (18 entering and 18 exiting the site) per hour associated with the proposed activity