30 March 2023
Footscray Road - westbound carriageway and walking and cycling path closures
We’re building the West Gate Tunnel Project to create an alternative to the West Gate Bridge and take trucks off local roads. As part of the project, an elevated road above Footscray Road is being built to create a link between the new tunnel and the city.
Work is progressing well, and over half of the new elevated road is now complete. We have been able to build it in the middle of Footscray Road while mostly keeping the road open for motorists.
Footscray Road westbound disruptions
We have spent the past three months lifting concrete segments into place above the eastbound lanes on Footscray Road. We are continuing our works and moving the launching gantry to the westbound side of Footscray Road. Whilst this work is happening, cars and trucks can’t drive underneath. We have considered different ways of completing the work, and the safest and quickest way is to close Footscray Road in one direction at a time.
From Thursday 30 March 2023 until late-May
We will:
- Close the westbound/outbound lanes 24 hours, 7 days a week. Detours will be in place until we complete the works - Dynon Road is the preferred detour route.
- Reopen the eastbound/citybound lanes to traffic and the launching gantry crane will switch sides to continue building the westbound elevated structure.
- For safety reasons, we’ll be closing the Footscray Road pedestrian and cycling path for three weeks from mid-April as part of these works.Detours and signage will be in place during this time— download the notification to see detour map.
- Extend the entry and exit lanes of Linfox until early-May 2023. Details of specific impacts will be confirmed with Linfox directly.
- Close Footscray Road in both directions at Shepherd Bridge for two weekends so we can continue work on the bridges over the Maribyrnong River and the elevated Footscray Road. These weekend closures will be notified separately, including on the Big Build website.
Late May to late June:
We’re due to close the eastbound lanes again—more information about this closure will be available in Autumn 2023. Once complete, the new elevated road will connect the new tunnels with CityLink, the port, Dynon Road, and provide better access to Wurundjeri Way.
When driving through these areas, please follow traffic signs, check traffic media reports, and visit the Big Build Disruptions web page for the most up-to-date information.
Please note, this work may be subject to approvals and permits, and may change due to site and weather conditions.
What to expect and when
| Impact | Date |
|---|---|
Footscray Road outbound lanes closed 24 hours 7 days a week between Appleton Dock Road and Dock Link Road. Detours will be in place – view the notification to see the detour map.
Please plan ahead, follow the detour signs, and allow extra travel time. | 8pm 30 March to late-May 2023 |
Footscray Road walking and cycling path closed 24/7 between Appleton Dock Road and Dock Link Road
Please plan ahead, follow the detour signs, and allow extra travel time. | From 18 April to 5 May |
| 24/7 construction activity on Footscray Road, truck movements in the area and increased construction activity at our sites. | 8pm 30 March to late-May 2023 |
Local businesses in the area remain open and operating during these works. We will continue to engage with businesses that may be directly impacted by our works. | |
| There will be impacts to bus services 220 Sunshine to Gardenvale and Nightrider services 941 and 942 operating along Footscray Road. Check PTV for information on how this may impact your journey and how you can plan ahead. |
We’ll keep you updated
So that work can be completed as quickly as possible, construction will take place 24/7, requiring road, ramp and lane closures, which will be confirmed weekly through a weekly traffic email alert and via the Victoria's Big Build Disruptions webpage
When driving through these areas, please follow traffic signs, check traffic media reports, and visit the Big Build website for the most up-to-date information
Thank you
We appreciate our work can be disruptive and thank you for your understanding.
To learn more about the impacts, or if you have any questions, please give the team a call on 1800 105 105 or email us on info@wgta.vic.gov.au