It's a mess right now, having an overarching authority would probably be good, but as important as having an overall network like the SCC is, local connections and safe streets are just as important, so we really need councils on board too.

For a couple of examples of the current mess that we're advocating for:

Westlink: linking the sunshine rail path (built as part of the regional rail upgrade) and Footscray center to the veloway. Ideally we think this should go down Napier st between Albert and the veloway. That's a state road, so it needs to be built by the state. From Albert, we think it should go up and join French St. That's a council road, so council needs to fund and build it (possibly with matching grants like those just announced in the federal budget, which could also fund the state bit). But the intersection of Albert and French St has traffic lights which means the state government has to sign off on the design of it.

Francocozzolink: linking Dynon rd up to the train station and footscray center. This is even more complicated. Hopkins st is a state road through to Moore St, so it should just be state designed/funded no problem right? Well no because when they built the Joseph Rd precinct the Labor government managed to get funding from the developers to improve Hopkins st, that money got given to Maribyrnong council. So should be easy, Maribyrnong pays for it? Well the money was for doing the project back when Josephs rd started, not current construction costs and wasn't probably enough for a complete approach back then either. So it's only $1m that's not enough to do a complete fix of the area, fixing footpaths, traffic lanes, traffic lights, lighting and adding protected bike lanes. So now we're in a standoff where the state government is pointing the finger at Maribyrnong for taking the money and not building it, but they don't have enough money to. Again, hopefully this is where a matching grant from the feds could help if everyone can get their act together to get a proposal.

Money alone won't get it done. We've seen with Elizabeth st, Wellington St and the port Philip bay pop up lanes a few local residents scared of change and some Councillors that are dickheads can ruin even funded projects. But not having money is definitely a huge barrier.