Contracts have been awarded for the construction of two major road upgrades in Melbourne’s south east, set to improve safety and traffic conditions for drivers.
Symal Group will build the Narre Warren North Upgrade, while Negri Contractors have been selected to deliver the South Road Upgrade.
The Federal Government and Victorian Government are funding both projects on a 50:50 basis, with each contributing $22.5 million toward the South Road Upgrade project, and $31 million each toward the Narre Warren North Road Upgrade project.
Both upgrades are expected to create a total of about 600 jobs throughout construction, while improving capacity and creating a better travel experience in Melbourne’s south-east.
Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, said the upgrades would help commuters get home sooner and safer.
“These projects are some of many critical infrastructure projects to receive funding from the Morrison Government as part of its record $110 billion, 10-year infrastructure investment pipeline, which is helping to drive Australia’s economic recovery,” Mr Fletcher said.
Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, said the upgrades would ease congestion in Melbourne’s south east.
“These upgrades will make driving easier and safer for thousands of Victorians who use these roads every single day,” Ms Allan said.
As part of the South Road Upgrade, five intersections will be improved between the Nepean Highway and Warrigal Road, to deliver safer and more reliable travel times for 40,000 drivers each day.
A new citybound right turn lane will be built to improve access to Nepean Highway along with a new right turning lane at the East Boundary Road intersection to relieve bottlenecks and reduce congestion.
The Narre Warren North Road upgrade will include increasing the number of lanes from two to four between Fox and Belgrave-Hallam roads, along with upgrades to the Heatherton Road, Ernst Wanke Road and Memorial Drive intersections to help improve safety and improve traffic flow.
The projects are part of a program of upgrades to Melbourne’s suburban roads.
Construction is underway and progressing on the nearby Lathams Road and Hallam North Road. In the city’s north, upgrades to Fitzsimons Lane, Childs Road and Craigieburn Road are underway.
These upgrades form part of the broader Suburban Roads Upgrade – South Eastern Roads and Northern Roads project and are expected to support more than 4,500 direct Victorian jobs and a further 11,000 indirect jobs.
This investment into Melbourne’s suburban road network aims to build on the successful Western Roads Upgrade which has delivered smoother, safer and more reliable journeys in the west.
Victoria’s Big Build projects are working together to transform busy and congested traffic hotspots into efficient transport corridors, with these south east road upgrade projects integral to these improvements.
Pound Road West and Frankston Dandenong Bridge upgrades are also in the early stages of construction. Delivering a new bridge over Cranbourne rail line, the project will provide a second connection between Abbotts Road and South Gippsland Highway in Dandenong.
