Stage 1 of the Mickleham Road Upgrade has utilised Australian-first technology to improve sustainability and reduce its carbon footprint as major works ramp up on the $222 million project.
The upgrade recently became the first in Australia to use the ZWS Patriot, a zero-waste management system that recycles waste, allowing it to be reused on other parts of the project.
The ZWS Patriot filters and re-uses waste from non-destructive digging to ensure there is zero waste or landfill during construction. This process involves the ZWS Patriot filtering the waste and separating dirt from water, allowing the water to be re-used on site, and the recycled dirt to be used as topsoil for landscaping at the end of the project.
The energy saved from just 1 standard load processed through the ZWS Patriot is equal to 55 kilograms of coal burned, 47 litres of petrol consumed or 13,381 smartphone charges.
The environmental benefits of this ground-breaking technology include a net carbon reduction per load of 88 per cent, re-use of water, fewer truck movements and the better tracking of waste.
Major works started in late February on Stage 1 of the Mickleham Road Upgrade and will involve building extra lanes in each direction on Mickleham Road between Somerton Road and Dellamore Boulevard, along with new traffic lights, intersection upgrades, and better walking and cycling connections.
The upgrade will improve safety and traffic flow for the 25,000 drivers in Melbourne’s north who use Mickleham Road each day, while new sections of walking and cycling paths will improve connectivity.
In a massive jobs boost, Stage 1 of the Mickleham Road Upgrade is expected to create 420 new jobs, including 134 direct and 286 indirect jobs.
In a Victorian first, the project is also using solar technology to power the temporary traffic signals near Aitken College and the Somerton Road intersection until they are connected to the grid, while the project’s main construction support site will be completely powered by solar energy, with excess power being pumped back into the electricity grid.
Stage 1 of the Mickleham Road Upgrade is expected to be complete in mid-2025.
Watch this video to find out more about how the ZWS Patriot works.