The State Government of Victoria in Australia has announced that the Big Build infrastructure projects are on track for completion this spring.
The projects, a series of road and rail initiatives designed to reduce travel times, include the West Gate Tunnel, M80 Ring Road, and Suburban Rail Loop, among others.
Currently, the West Gate Tunnel Project is expanding the West Gate Freeway to 12 lanes, which is expected to improve traffic flow and increase capacity.
This follows the completion of 21km of new road deck.
The M80 Ring Road interchange is also being upgraded, necessitating closures from 6 to 23 September for resurfacing and widening works.
Additionally, the Williamstown Road inbound exit ramp will be closed from early October to mid-November for the installation of a new walking and cycling bridge.
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By GlobalDataA section of Footscray Road will also be closed from 1 to 20 October due to the construction of a 2.5km cycling superhighway.
The Metro Tunnel project has seen over 20,000km of train testing since July 2023, but further closures on the Cranbourne/Pakenham, Sunbury, and Gippsland lines will occur from October to November to facilitate additional works, with buses replacing trains on some sections.
A significant construction work is also underway for the Suburban Rail Loop, which includes moving utilities ahead of tunnelling and will cause a full closure of Clayton Road between Colonel Street and Haughton Road from 27 August until late October.
Lane and road closures will also affect Burwood Highway in Burwood, Clayton Road in Clayton, Coleman Parade in Glen Waverley, and Whitehorse Road in Box Hill due to work on all six SRL East station sites.
The government confirmed that tunnelling has commenced on the North East Link, and preparations for upgrades to the M80 Ring Road and Eastern Freeway are ongoing.
In October, the Hurstbridge line will see bus replacements for three weeks as tracks and signalling are upgraded to accommodate the North East Link.
Besides, road upgrades at McGregor Road, Racecourse Road, and the Princes Freeway in Pakenham are being implemented to improve traffic flow and minimise bottlenecks.
Victoria Transport Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson said: “Our road and rail projects are powering ahead across Melbourne and nearing completion – this important work will cut congestion and deliver safer connections across our city.”