Key road upgrades and bridge improvements have commenced in Melbourne’s western suburbs as part of the Victorian Government’s Suburban Roads Upgrade.
Piling work, new safety barriers and corrosion protection upgrades are underway on the first bridge being upgraded at Hyde Street in Spotswood to strengthen and protect it for the more than 14,000 drivers and hundreds of trucks which travel over it each day.
The works are funded through the State Government’s $1.8 billion Western Roads Upgrade.
The Ballarat Road Bridge spanning the Maribyrnong River will be upgraded in March 2019, adding new safety barriers and strengthening the bridge to better cater for heavy vehicles.
Works to improve crossings at Altona, and Brooklyn and Geelong Road, will also begin later in 2019.
Drivers will also see construction work getting underway at the Forsyth Road interchange and along Palmers Road duplication, with all eight major road upgrades now underway from Altona North to Tarneit.
New lanes will be added to Palmers Road between the Princes Freeway and the Western Freeway, 16 intersections will be upgraded, and the Sayers Road intersection will be smoothed out to improve journeys for 11,000 drivers.
The Forsyth Road intersection upgrade will also see new lanes added, improved access to the Princes Freeway and better north-south traffic flow for 28,000 drivers every day.
More than 1100 workers are helping deliver the Western Roads Upgrade with major construction due for completion by 2021.
In addition, more than 260km of arterial roads are being improved, resurfaced and rehabilitated from Footscray to Werribee ahead of a 20-year maintenance program.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, said, “The Western Roads Upgrade is delivering major road upgrades and leaving a legacy for communities through Melbourne’s west.”
Member for Williamstown, Melissa Horne, said, “This massive amount of works make local roads smoother, safer and more reliable for commuters.”
