West Gate Tunnel: work begins on the Wurundjeri Way extension

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October 4, 2023

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New bridges and ramps will be lifted and installed to extend the Wurundjeri Way city bypass as part of the West Gate Tunnel project in Victoria.

Close to a kilometre of new bridges and ramps will be lifted into place over Dudley Street in the coming weeks, extending the Wurundjeri Way city bypass and transforming the way people move around Melbourne, as part of major works on the Allan Labor Government’s West Gate Tunnel Project.

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Danny Pearson today toured the key piece of road infrastructure for Wurundjeri Way, which will take up to 5000 cars off busy streets in Melbourne’s CBD every day, including Spencer and King Streets.

The new bridge, made up of 17 steel beams weighing 80 tonnes each, has been taking shape in the rail yard area near North Melbourne.

Over the next eight weeks, workers will build the bridge structure that arches over the intersection from the ground up, lifting and installing the huge steel beams.

While the work is underway, the Wurundjeri Way and Dudley Street intersection will be closed in both directions for eight weeks from9 October to 2 December to carry out major structural construction.

Multiple detour routes will be in place to help motorists get around, and a heavy vehicle detour using the Bolte Bridge will be in place.

Ahead of the Wurundjeri Way extension, Footscray Road will be closed in both directions on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th to lift steel beams in place for the new Citylink ramps.

“The Wurundjeri Way extension will change the way people move around the city – taking cars off busy CBD roads and providing Melbourne’s west with a much-needed alternative to the West Gate Bridge,” says Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson.

While Wurundjeri Way and Dudley Street are closed, work will also progress on ramps connecting into the elevated road over Footscray Road, and the widening of the existing Footscray Road Bridge over Moonee Ponds creek.

“We want to thank motorists for their patience and encourage people to allow some extra travel time while we deliver huge improvements to the busy Wurundjeri Way thoroughfare as part of the West Gate Tunnel,” says Member for Footscray Katie Hall.

Footscray Road will be reduced to one lane in each direction while these works take place. Motorists heading to the city should use Dynon Road instead.

When complete, the Labor Government’s West Gate Tunnel will deliver a vital alternative to the West Gate Bridge, providing a much-needed second river crossing, and removing more than 9,000 trucks from local roads.

Source: © Copyright State Government of Victoria

Image Source: © Copyright State Government of Victoria