15 May 2021
New, stronger Grieve Parade Bridge now complete
We’re rebuilding the West Gate Freeway and interchanges from the ground up, to add an extra two through lanes in each direction on the freeway, helping save drivers 20 minutes in travel time from the west.
As part of these works, a brand new, two-lane bridge spanning the West Gate Freeway has been constructed and opened at Grieve Parade.
The new bridge is stronger, to take traffic for the next 100 years, and provides enough space below for the widening of the West Gate Freeway from 8 to 12 through lanes.
A series of staged freeway closures were needed through January to safely demolish the eastern section of the 1960s bridge used by southbound traffic. We know that these closures are inconvenient and we want to thank everyone for their patience.
With the freeway closed to traffic in both directions, crews prepared the site for demolition works and piece-by-piece, excavators removed sections of the bridge through the closure.
18 beams weighing 51 tonnes each were then installed to form the foundation for the road above. You can see time lapse footage, video and photos of the demolition and rebuild on our social channels.
New ramps to the M80 Ring Road
A six-week construction blitz earlier this year has delivered rebuilt and realigned ramps at the M80 interchange, to make way for four extra through lanes on the West Gate Freeway.
Express lanes to the West Gate Bridge will be separated from lanes that take people to Millers Road, Williamstown Road and the new tunnel, reducing weaving, merging, and congestion on one of Melbourne’s busiest roads.
By moving the Geelong Road off ramp further to the north, we have created space for a new on ramp to the West Gate Freeway, which will ultimately take motorists to the new separated lanes on the West Gate Freeway.
Building new Millers Road and Williamstown Road interchanges
As we continue these works, Williamstown Road and Millers Road will be regularly closed at night under the West Gate Freeway.
This is important construction work to improve how traffic flows through these busy interchanges and to build the new ramps connecting the West Gate Freeway to Hyde Street, taking trucks off local roads.
We understand that these disruptions mean longer travel times, so we will work quickly and safely to complete the works as soon as possible. We will keep you informed of the closures through signs on the road, online and if you ever want to spe
New city connections taking shape
We are working to better connect Melbourne’s road network with a bridge over the Maribyrnong River that will connect the tunnel to the port, as well as to an elevated road above Footscray Road, linking to CityLink and Dynon Road.
These connections are an essential part of the project to take traffic directly from the tunnel to the port, and provide a new way to travel from the west to essential services in the north and west of the CBD.
Massive columns are currently being put in place to form the base of the new elevated road and connecting ramps. One of the biggest pieces of concrete from Benalla has now been installed on Footscray Road near Dock Link Road.
Weighing more than 100 tonnes, this massive concrete beam required an escort from Benalla, and will support the new on ramp from CityLink to the new elevated road towards the tunnel.
These beams will support the new on ramp to the elevated road to give motorists access to the tunnel. There will be more deliveries as construction progresses. We will avoid using residential streets as much as possible by using CityLink and Footscray Road, but where it is unavoidable, residents will be kept up to date on how many deliveries are expected and which roads they will use at westgatetunnelproject.vic.gov.au/benalladeliveries
Construction blitz for new noise walls
We are installing new noise walls along the West Gate Freeway that will be taller and thicker than the old noise walls, and designed to make it much quieter in homes, parks and sports grounds.
These noise walls are some of the best in Victoria, making a massive difference for the inner west.
Locals can look forward to 9kms of new and improved noise walls. More than 1000 panels have already been installed along the freeway, and we are installing up to 16 noise wall panels per day.
We have also started to install acrylic panels on top of the walls transforming the look of the West Gate Freeway and replacing outdated wooden noise walls. The acrylic panels of pale blues and greens allow light to pass through to the backyards and sporting grounds bey
West Gate Neighbourhood Fund Partnerships announced and grants open!
Community and sporting groups in Footscray, Yarraville, Brooklyn, Altona North, Spotswood and South Kingsville will receive a financial boost with 19 local projects chosen to receive $6.4m in funding from West Gate Neighbourhood Fund partnerships.
The West Gate Neighbourhood Fund is a $10m Victorian Government initiative that aims to bring people together and improve local facilities while the West Gate Tunnel Project is being built. Under the partnerships stream funding between $100,000 and $1.1m has been allocated to community centred arts, sports, wellbeing, transport, and education projects across the inner west. Partnerships will support projects that include the construction of additional clubrooms for the Yarraville Glory Soccer club, redeveloping the 100 Story Building into a writing centre and creative space for children and young people, and transforming the Spotswood Kingsville RSL. Grants now open! Applications are now open for our grants program. Organisations can request up to $10,000 for one-off projects, up to $20,000 for festivals and events, and $20,001 to $100,000 for community facilities.
Eligible projects include those that celebrate heritage, history or diversity, focus on arts and culture, emphasise learning and development, or enable greater participation of community members.
Applications close on 18 June 2021. Yarraville Glory Soccer Club players will receive an upgrade to their club facilities.
Info Centre re-opens
The project Info Centre in Yarraville is now open. We’ve got COVID safe practices in place to keep visitors safe and socially distanced. We’ve also got new things to see including a scale model of the launching gantry and updated photos and videos showing progress across the project.
Come visit us at the corner of Somerville Road and Whitehall Street, Yarraville. We’re open 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm on Saturday.