Finishing 2025 with another major road milestone, the Pakenham Creek will now be able to flow easier under Racecourse Road.
Traffic in the area will also flow easier after Racecourse Road was reopened between Henry Street and Cameron Way on Wednesday evening after crews finished upgrading the Pakenham Creek bridge.
Reopened ahead of the busy Christmas-New Years period, the Racecourse Road bridge over the Pakenham Creek was successfully rebuilt and upgraded in 79 days, reducing flood impacts to local residents the road network during major rainfall events.
With a number of major flooding events in Pakenham and the greater south east occurring across summer and autumn, the completion of these works on schedule before the end of 2025 ensures greater protection to local households over the summer.
Pakenham Roads Upgrade crews have significantly increased the capacity of the creek under the road, by installing 35 new U-shaped concrete culverts - weighing up to seven tonnes each.
The upgrade has also involved reshaping Pakenham Creek so it can hold more stormwater flow within the banks, making it deeper and wider over an additional 700 metres.
Together, the reshaped creek and new culverts will ensure major flooding events over the roadway are minimised by keeping more floodwater in the creek and away from properties and the local road network.
With these works completed, the Pakenham Roads Upgrade has marked another big step towards completion of major works in mid-2026.
Further south, crews are busy building the new southbound lanes of Racecourse Road and Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road between Henry Street and Peet Street, with direct access to businesses on Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road reopened in early December.
The eastern side of Bald Hill Road is closed at Racecourse Road with crews focusing on major works to build new lanes and paths and install traffic signals and medians which will form part of the upgraded intersection, to be opened in late February 2026.
While these works are underway, you can support your local Pakenham traders and earn yourself a chance to win up to $1000, simply by shopping at one of your participating local traders and spending a minimum of $10. Find out more about the 'Spend and win competition'
Find out more about the Pakenham Roads Upgrade.