The controversial East West Link, abandoned by Labor at a cost of $1.1 billion to taxpayers, remains on the horizon as part of long-term transport planning for Melbourne.

In the fine print of the business case for the Transurban-proposed $5.5 billion Western Distributor toll road, the link between the Tullamarine and Eastern freeways is included as part of a longer term transport network.

And the fine print of the government report reveals that, despite the billions it will cost Victorian taxpayers and motorists, the Western Distributor could reach peak-hour capacity by 2031, just nine years after it is completed.

A Treasury-commissioned consultant report on the economics of the Western Distributor details key future transport projects for Melbourne.