News | 12 January

The Allan Labor Government’s West Gate Tunnel Project will soon be one step closer to improving travel times between the city and Melbourne’s west, as the next stage of works to widen the West Gate Freeway from eight to 12 lanes get underway in preparation for the tunnel opening in 2025.  

Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson today announced that works will begin from Wednesday 10 January until early March to deliver new road surfaces along the West Gate Freeway between Millers Road and the M80 Ring Road Interchange – making room for more cars every day and cutting congestion on the busy freeway.

To complete these works as safely and quickly as possible, the outbound exit from the West Gate Freeway to the M80 Ring Road will close for nine days from 10 January, while other lanes and ramps will be closed until early March. 

Motorists are urged to plan ahead and allow for an extra 30 minutes of travel time as project workers lay down the new road surface and install new permanent signage and freeway barriers for safer rides. 

From mid-February to early March, motorists heading outbound on the West Gate Freeway to Geelong or Ballarat will experience lane changes. Overhead and electronic signs will be in place to direct drivers to use the right lanes to travel to Geelong and the left lanes to travel to Ballarat. 

There will also be occasional overnight closures on the West Gate and Princes Freeways between Kororoit Creek Road and Williamstown Road until mid-2024 to install 46 massive steel overhead gantries.

With its first major construction period now complete, the second stage of works on the Wurundjeri Way city bypass are also set to begin – with Wurundjeri Way to be closed between Dudley Street and Bourke Street from 12 January to early March. 

During this time, workers will focus on drainage, road surface, pavements and the installation of safety technology.  Delays of up to 20 minutes are expected.

There will also be lane and road closures on Footscray Road to strengthen and widen the bridge over Moonee Ponds Creek and as we continue to build connections to the new elevated road.  

To keep up to date with the upcoming closures, please visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au/westgate. 

The West Gate Tunnel Project will transform travel in Melbourne’s west – delivering a vital alternative to the West Gate Bridge, providing a much-needed second river crossing, cutting congestion and taking 9,000 trucks a day off local roads. 

Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Danny Pearson

“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 Tunnel Project that will help cut travel times between the west and the city by 20 minutes.”

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