Construction on the new 275m Bell street bridge has begun, with 21 giant beams installed over the road, as part of a widening project for the CityLink Tullamarine freeway in Melbourne.
Drivers can expect to see road changes during their daily commute as works progress on the new bridge connecting Bell Street to Pascoe Vale Road.
The new bridge will free up the existing bridge for freeway bound traffic, helping to reduce congestion and keep freeway traffic moving.
The new bridge also aims to improve safety at the Bell Street intersection by removing a dangerous blind side merge for drivers travelling from Bell Street to turn left onto Pascoe Vale Road.
Victorian Minister for Roads and Roads Safety, Luke Donnellan, said, “This new bridge will improve traffic flow along the Tulla and local roads, and make the Bell Street intersection much safer by minimising the dangerous traffic weaving that currently takes place.
“Building the bridge section by section will help us to minimise disruption as much as possible for locals while we get on with completing this vital link.”
The bridge will be built over a series of overnight closures while the beams are joined together to ensure the road operates during the day.
The bridge is a key component of the Bell Street interchange upgrade, which will improve traffic flow for local residents as well providing safer access to the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail.
It is expected to be completed by mid-2017.
The $1.28 billion CityLink Tulla widening project aims to cut travel times, improve safety, and reduce congestion by increasing capacity along the corridor by up to 30 per cent.
