Victoria's opposition will take the controversial East West Link project to a third state election.
"Maybe it's an idea whose time has come," shadow transport spokesman Matt Bach said announcing the opposition's recommitment to the project they tried to fast-track in government in 2014.
When Labor won power later that year, Premier Daniel Andrew dumped the road project, costing more than $1 billion in cancelled contracts.
He had promised never to build the road.
With $4 billion from the federal government and "significant money" from the private sector the first stage of the project would cost taxpayers a "nominal sum", Mr Bach said.
He put that figure somewhere up to $1 billion or $2 billion.
The road would definitely require private investment and would be tolled to cover costs, he said.
There are no costings yet for the project, which given the skyrocketing costs of materials and labour since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic will be "slightly higher" than previously, he conceded.
A full cost breakdown would be available ahead of the November election, he said.
The opposition first wants to consider figures in the state budget, to be handed down on May 3.
Mr Bach maintains the city needs the link to reduce commute times.
"I drive the Eastern Freeway on work days and it's still very busy and very congested at that end point," he said of the Hoddle Street intersection.
He later described the city as "dead" when asked about the state's COVID-19 rules.
"So few people are coming into the city," Mr Bach said.
Mr Andrews said it was no surprise he still opposed the project, and said he'd like to see the $4 billion spent elsewhere.
"What I'd like is a fair share of infrastructure (spending) from Canberra," he said.
