Construction is ramping up on the eagerly awaited Ison Road Overpass, set to provide Wyndham West’s booming population with a vital link to the Princes Freeway.
The first 2 of 3 towering piling rigs have arrived on site to help establish the bridge foundation, while earthworks are underway to raise ground levels for the overpass road.
The piling rigs can extend up to 21m high, around 3 times the height of a typical power pole. Due to arrive in coming months, the biggest of the 3 rigs weighs 124 tonnes, similar in weight to around 60 average-size dual-cab utes.
The massive machines will help crews build about 1000 steel-reinforced concrete piles up to 12 metres deep and nearly a metre in diameter.
The piling works began in January and are due for completion in June. Earthworks are also underway and will continue throughout 2024. As part of the earthworks, trucks are delivering to site 200,000 cubic metres of fill material - enough to fill 80 Olympic-size swimming pools. Crews are using the fill material to help build ramps for either side of the bridge.
Work on the Ison Road Overpass began in November 2023 with site establishment and works to relocate and protect essential water and electricity services ahead of major construction kicking off in 2024.
Once complete, the 4 lane overpass will extend over the Melbourne-Geelong railway line toward the Princes Freeway. Future-proofed for 6 lanes, it will give residents access to surrounding areas and minimise traffic in central Werribee, reducing congestion and improving journey reliability.
The project’s opportunities for active transport will include shared walking and cycling paths over the bridge and a cycling path underneath the bridge.
The Victorian and Australian governments will invest a total $114 million to deliver the project. We're partnering with construction partner Decmil to deliver the overpass.
Due for completion by the end of 2025, the Ison Road Overpass is set to cater for nearly 29,000 vehicles a day by 2036.