The Bridge Inn Road Upgrade is powering ahead in Melbourne’s north this winter, as the new 4 lane bridge over Plenty River moves another step closer to completion, with the first sections of the new bridge deck now in place.
It follows the installation of the 33 giant beams in May. Two 750-tonne cranes worked in tandem over a series of nights to lift and place the beams – some of which measured up to 32 metres in length, and weighing up to 58 tonnes. These beams are now supporting the bridge base as it rapidly takes shape.
The new 68-metre road bridge – which directly connects Mernda to Doreen – will reduce congestion and improve safety for around 17,000 motorists and 1,500 heavy vehicles that travel through this busy stretch of road each day. It includes 4 lanes east and westbound lanes and will boast a surface area of nearly 18,000 square meters.
The existing bridge is a known pinch point for locals, with the new 4 lane bridge set to unclog this significant bottleneck and improve access to the new Mernda Railway Station and Mernda Town Centre.
On track to be open to 1 lane in each direction later in 2023, the new bridge once fully open next year will increase capacity and reduce delays faced by drivers crossing the Plenty River when travelling between Mernda and Doreen.
Bridge Inn Road is being widened to accommodate 4 lanes of traffic, with 5 key intersections being upgraded to improve traffic flow. Additional capacity will be created at the intersections of Schotters Road, Vantage Point Boulevard and Painted Hills Road with new traffic lights to be installed at Cookes Road and Garden Road.
New traffic lights are also being installed near Ivanhoe Grammar School – Plenty campus, including a pedestrian crossing to improve access to local schools.
The historic bluestone bridge, completed in 1867, will be transformed into a walking and cycling path for the community. This will create a new key shared-use corridor to allow for safer journeys for both pedestrians and bike riders.
Landscaping along Bridge Inn Road will be improved and linked cycling and pedestrian paths will be built to provide a more direct and safer route to nearby existing paths.
The Bridge Inn Road Upgrade will be completed by 2025.