Early works begin on VIC M80 Ring Road & Monash Freeway upgrades

Early works on two of Victoria’s busiest freeways has commenced as geotechnical drilling gets underway on the $518 million M80 Ring Road between Sydney Road and Edgars Road as well as on the second stage of the $1.4 billion Monash Freeway Upgrade.

“Thousands of Victorians know how busy the M80 Ring Road and Monash can be during peak hour, and we’re getting on with the preliminary construction to get people home sooner and safer,” Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said.

Both upgrades are expected to create more than 850 jobs collectively and once the two projects have been completed, they will be able to provide safer and more reliable journeys for over 165,000 cars and 22,000 trucks across the northern and western suburbs.

The upgrades will also help reduce travel times between Pakenham and the city by up to 10 minutes during the morning peak.

The projects are set to enhance connections to major freeways as well as interstate links. This includes the Hume Freeway, the future North East Link, the Princes and West Gate Freeways and the future West Gate Tunnel.

“We’re improving vital road corridors in every direction you look, and these upgrades to the M80 and Monash will bring relief to hundreds of thousands of drivers each day,” Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said.

The M80 Ring Road project will include:

• Adding new lanes in each direction between Sydney Road and Edgars Road
• Installing a smart freeway lane management system to better manage traffic flow
• Extending the Sydney Road on and off ramps to give drivers more time to merge
• Building new on and off ramps at Edgars Road to improve safety
• Improving access from the Hume Freeway to the M80 Ring Road and Edgars Road
• Installing ramp-metering technology to manage the flow of traffic onto the freeway
• Upgrading the cycling and pedestrian bridge

Source: Major Road Projects Victoria

On the other hand, the second stage of the Monash Freeway Upgrade will include:

• Add 36 kilometres of new lanes on the Monash and Princes Freeways between Warrigal Road and Eastlink outbound; Eastlink to Springvale Road inbound; and Clyde Road to Cardinia Road in both directions
• Connect Police Road to the freeway with an outbound on-ramp
• Connect the Jacksons Road outbound ramps directly to Eastlink with a separate road
• Add two extra lanes in each direction on O’Shea Road between Clyde Road and Soldiers Road
• Extend O’Shea Road to join the Beaconsfield interchange - we’ll also upgrade the interchange by adding an inbound freeway off-ramp and an outbound freeway on-ramp
• Build a shared walking and cycling path on O’Shea Road between Clyde Road, Berwick and the Princes Highway in Beaconsfield

Source: Major Road Project Victoria

In addition to survey and geotechnical works, shoulder preparations on the freeway will also get underway to keep lanes open during construction.

Both the Monash Freeway and M80 Ring Road will remain open during peak construction period to keep commuters and freight moving and to minimise disruption.

The Monash Freeway Upgrade is due to be completed in 2022 and the M80 Ring Road project is expected to be completed by early 2023.

The two projects are being delivered by Major Road Projects Victoria and jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments. Construction of both projects will be undertaken by CPB Contractors.

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Source: Premier of Victoria; Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure; Major Road Projects Victoria (1, 2); Inside Construction