For 27 years, Doug Harley built the state's roads. Starting at VicRoads in 1986 as a 22-year-old, he worked as an engineer on many big bypasses and freeways, including the extension of the Eastern Freeway from Doncaster to Springvale in the 1990s.

Last month, Mr Harley quit the road authority, disgusted at its role in plans to extend the Eastern Freeway again, this time at its other end for the east-west link.

Former VicRoads manager of network modelling for the east-west link project Doug Harley above a scetion of the Eastern Freeway he worked on as an engineer. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer

This freeway would see a six-lane tunnel built from the Eastern Freeway in Clifton Hill to CityLink in Flemington. The project, which Premier Denis Napthine wants started by late next year, will cut travel times between the two freeways to seven minutes and allow motorists to avoid up to 23 sets of traffic lights.

But Mr Harley, who rose to become VicRoads' manager of network modelling and analysis, said the proof used to justify the road as the state's most urgently needed transport project wasn't good enough. ''I'm not opposed to any project as long as it's assessed properly and taxpayers don't get ripped off,'' he said.