Next stage of works get underway on West Gate Tunnel Project

The city-shaping West Gate Tunnel Project continues to see progress in its construction as the next stage of works to widen the West Gate Freeway gets underway. 

From 10 January to early March 2024, new road surfaces along the West Gate Freeway between Millers Road and the M80 Ring Road Interchange will be delivered to widen the freeway from eight to 12 lanes, increasing its capacity to help relieve congestion on this busy road corridor. 

To enable works to be carried out safely and quickly, the outbound exit from West Gate Freeway to the M80 Ring Road will be closed for nine days from 10 January. On the other hand, other lanes and ramps will be closed to traffic until early March. 

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and allow an extra 30 minutes of travel time for the duration of the works where the project crew will lay down the new road surface and install new permanent signage and freeway barriers for safer journeys. 

Meanwhile, motorists heading outbound on the West Gate Freeway to Geelong or Ballarat will see lane changes from mid-February to early March. Drivers will be directed by overhead and electronic signs to use the right lanes to travel to Geelong and the left lanes to travel to Ballarat. 

Occasional overnight closures will also be observed on the West Gate and Princes freeways between Kororoit Creek Road and Williamstown Road until mid-2024 while 46 massive steel overhead gantries are installed. 

Following the completion of the first major construction stage on the Wurundjeri Way city bypass, the second stage of works can now commence. Wurundjeri Way is going to be closed between Dudley Street and Bourke Street from 12 January to early March while workers focus on drainage, road surface, pavements and the installation of safety technology – which delays of up to 20 minutes are expected. 

Footscray Road will also see lane and road closures while works to strengthen and widen the bridge over Moonee Ponds Creek as well as the construction of connections to the new elevated road are carried out. 

“As the West Gate Tunnel Project embarks on a busy summer of works, we encourage motorists to plan ahead and allow extra travel time. 

“The West Gate Tunnel Project will transform travel in Melbourne’s west, providing a vital alternative to the West Gate Bridge that will cut congestion and take 9,000 trucks a day off local roads. 

“The widening of the West Gate Freeway is a key part of the West Gate Tunel Project that will help cut travel times between the west and the city by 20 minutes,” Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Danny Pearson said. 

West Gate Tunnel Project map (source: Victoria's Big Build)

The West Gate Tunnel Project is delivering an alternative to the West Gate Bridge to provide quicker and safer journeys while removing thousands of trucks from residential streets. 

The transformative project includes widening the West Gate Freeway; building twin tunnels that connect the West Gate Freeway to the Port of Melbourne and CityLink; construction of a bridge over Maribyrnong Rover that links to an elevated road along Footscray Road; installation of state-of-the-art smart technology along the length of the project; delivery of an additional 14 kilometres of walking and cycling paths for a continuous journey from Werribee to the city; and the creation of about nine hectares of new parks and wetlands. 

Major construction on the West Gate Tunnel Project commenced in 2018 and it is expected to be completed by late 2025. 

The overall project is estimated to create up to 6,000 jobs over its life, with more than 500 opportunities for apprentices, trainees and graduates. 

The State Government has partnered with Transurban to build the West Gate Tunnel Project, and its construction is being undertaken by a consortium between CPB Contractors and John Holland. 

Source: Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Victoria’s Big Build – West Gate Tunnel Project (1, 2)