Footscray Road and Wurundjeri Way/Dudley Street closures

The West Gate Tunnel Project will be installing steel supports over Footscray Road near CityLink, then at Wurundjeri Way and Dudley Street, requiring road closures.

From the night of 6 October until 5am on 9 October, Footscray Road is due to be closed in both directions between Appleton Dock Road and CityLink, as will the Footscray Road outbound exit ramp from CityLink. After this closure ends, there will be lane closures on Footscray Road until late 2023 to complete other work between Shepherd Bridge (over Maribyrnong River) and Pearl River Road.

From the night of 8 October, the Wurundjeri Way/Dudley Street intersection—as well as Wurundjeri Way between Dudley Street and Bourke Street—is due to be closed until the morning of 2 December.

If Footscray Road and Wurundjeri Way/Dudley Street intersection are closed at the same time on the night of 8 October, heavy vehicles will be safely guided through the Wurundjeri Way/Dudley Street intersection by the West Gate Tunnel Project team, until the intersection fully closes to all traffic from 5am on 9 October.

Wurundjeri Way is also due to close again in January 2024 for further work at Dudley Street. Transurban—the operator of CityLink—has made temporary changes to restrictions on the Bolte Bridge during these closures, enabling a heavy vehicle detour route.

Remember that in the same area, the West Gate Freeway overpass that connects with the Bolte Bridge will be temporarily restricted to a vehicle weight limit of 44 tonnes for safety reasons while Transurban strengthens the overpass.

Footscray Road closure detour route for heavy vehicles

During the 6–9 October closure of Footscray Road and CityLink ramp, vehicles weighing more than 44 tonnes and/or greater than 4.3 metres in height will need to take the heavy vehicle detour route.

Vehicles will be guided around the closure by West Gate Tunnel Project personnel through the project’s work site. This ensures the safety of everyone in the area while keeping vehicles moving in and out of the Port of Melbourne. Drivers will be asked to pause at the closure point, communicate with traffic managers via UHF radio, and wait to be guided.

Northbound vehicles from Webb Dock can continue to use Wurundjeri Way, Dudley Street and Footscray Road to access the local detour route.

Southbound vehicles from Swanson Dock can access the local detour and enter the CityLink ramp, exiting at Lorimer Street exit. Heavy vehicles will temporarily be allowed to use the Bolte Bridge subject to requirements based on vehicle type.

Download the detour map

Wurundjeri Way/Dudley Street closure detour route for heavy vehicles

While the Wurundjeri Way/Dudley Street intersection is closed from 9 October to 2 December, and during the subsequent closure due to happen early 2024, heavy vehicles will temporarily be allowed to use the Bolte Bridge subject to requirements based on vehicle type.

Performance based standards (PBS) vehicles weighing 68.5 to 85.5 tonnes

These vehicles will be temporarily allowed to use the Bolte Bridge with lane restrictions, if the operator:

• Is travelling under the National Class 2 PBS Notice or has as an active PBS permit issued by the National
  Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) that refers to the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) heavy vehicle
  maps on the VicRoads website; or obtains a pre-approved PBS permit issued by the NHVR
• Complies with the changed conditions on the Bolte Bridge as described on DTP’s heavy vehicle maps
• Travels in the left-most lane available to them.

Please note: no route is available over the West Gate Freeway overpass that connects with the Bolte Bridge due to weight limits.

PBS vehicles and Super B-Doubles weighing 85.5 to 117 tonnes

These vehicles will be temporarily allowed to use the Bolte Bridge with lane and travel time restrictions, including:

For PBS combinations:

• The operator is travelling under the National Class 2 PBS Notice or has as an active PBS permit issued by the National
  Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) that refers to the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) heavy vehicle
  maps on the VicRoads website; or obtains a pre-approved PBS permit issued by the NHVR

For Super B-Doubles:

• The operator refers to amended permit(s), which will describe the specific route that must be followed

Please note: if travel is required outside of approved hours, follow the regular permit process facilitated by NHVR to lodge a request. No route available over the West Gate Freeway overpass to the Bolte Bridge due to weight limits.

Oversize and overmass (OSOM) vehicles

These vehicles will be temporarily allowed to use the Bolte Bridge with a permit:

• Follow the regular permit process facilitated by NHVR.
• DTP and Transurban will work with NHVR to assess each permit application.
• Conditions (such as time of travel and lane use requirements) may apply, and these will be outlined in the permit issued via NHVR.
• The permit process will enable Transurban, DTP and NHVR to consider the use of Bolte Bridge during the daytime as requested by operators

This information may be subject to change

Always check the latest guidance before you travel at the West Gate Tunnel Project .To view all travel disruptions, visit the Victoria's Big Build Disruptions webpage.

Thank you

Thanks for your patience as we ensure the safety of everyone in the area while we carry out this critical work for West Gate Tunnel Project.

If you have queries or feedback about this work, please call our 24-hour hotline on 1800 105 105 and ask for the ‘East Zone’.

Please pass this update on to anyone else who might find the information useful.