Locals lapped up glimpses of summer sunshine during a huge community thank you day to celebrate the soon to be completed Sunbury Road Upgrade - making the road safer and smoother for the more than 25,000 drivers who use it every day.
Member of Sunbury Josh Bull joined hundreds of people at Tulsa Drive Reserve at Goonawarra on Saturday 9 December, to mark the closing stages of works of Sunbury’s biggest road infrastructure project.
The event gave people from all sides of Sunbury an opportunity to come together for the project team to say thank you to the community for their patience during construction.
Designed to have all-ages appeal, plenty of activity was on offer including live entertainment, giveaways, a free sausage sizzle and more.
Sunbury Road was a two-lane, two-way arterial road, with a singular bridge over the Jacksons Creek.
Major construction activities across a more than two-year period has seen around 14 km of new lanes added, construction of the new Jacksons Creek bridge, intersection upgrades at Francis Boulevard and Lancefield Road, shoulder construction and sealing, installation of safety guard rails, pull over areas, line marking and signage.
Within a matter of months, an upgraded Sunbury Road stretching 7 km from Powlett Street to the Bulla-Diggers Rest/Loemans Road roundabout, will significantly reduce traffic congestion through existing and emerging communities, creating more efficient journeys for greater Sunbury.
New walking and cycling paths will fully open later in the summer, providing safer access for students, linking Goonawarra with the education, retail and sporting precinct around Sunbury Square.
Over the coming months some temporary lane closures and speed restrictions will be in place to undertake finishing works, landscaping and permanent lighting.
Minor works on the shared use path which runs along the full length of Sunbury Road also need to be completed, to safely connect this growing community.
Construction of the Sunbury Road Upgrade began in 2021 and is on track to be completed by 2025.
More information can be found on our Sunbury Road Upgrade webpage.