More than ten thousand construction workers will work to transform road and rail infrastructure across Victoria as part of a summer building blitz.
There will be major works on 10 rail lines, seven tram routes and four critical roads including the West Gate Bridge, West Gate Freeway, Monash Freeway and M80 Ring Road.
Another four level crossings will be removed with a total of 58 level crossings to be removed by the end of summer and three new stations opened to the public.
Two level crossings will be removed at Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing and Ferguson Street, Williamstown with the new North Williamstown Station opening in December, while another two – Greens Road, Cranbourne and Clyde Road, Berwick – will be removed during summer. A new Merinda Park Station will open to passengers in early 2022.
The West Gate-CityLink-Monash (M1) freeway will see a massive construction burst commencing with annual maintenance of the West Gate Bridge between Boxing Day and 4 January 2022, with three of the five outbound lanes closed.
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From 11 January to late February, ongoing works will occur to widen the West Gate Freeway, with the closure of Williamstown Road under the freeway and its citybound entry and exit ramps, as well as the West Gate Freeway-M80 outbound ramp and the M80-Princes Freeway ramp.
In regional Victoria, major construction will start on platform extensions at Nagambie and Murchison East stations. Work on the Warrnambool Line and Waurn Ponds Station upgrades will step up with coaches replacing trains in late November.
“Some of our biggest transport projects are now really taking shape on road and rail projects that will transform how you travel, and support thousands of jobs at a time we need them most,” Victorian Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said.
“While these works take place there will be disruptions on the road and rail network. Passengers and motorists are advised to plan their travel and allow extra travel time.”