New milestone marked for Western Freeway upgrade between Melton & Caroline Springs

Important upgrades on the Western Freeway between Melton and Caroline Springs in Victoria is a step closer to commencing as the Australian Government puts forward $50 million to progress the project.

The significant funding will get pre-construction works underway to pave the way for the arrival of heavy machinery on site. These works will involve detailed planning and design as well as getting crews out on site to check ground conditions.

“This latest funding commitment is an important step forward for the Western Freeway upgrade – a project our community has long needed.

“I look forward to seeing it deliver real, lasting improvements for local families,” Federal Member for Hawke Sam Rae said.

Pre-construction works will help ensure everything is ready for a smooth and safe construction phase, assuring there will be as little disruption as possible to people’s daily commutes. These works are the final steps before construction can officially begin, and locals start seeing boots on the ground.

The pre-construction works are funded as part of the Australian Government’s$1 billion commitment towards upgrades to the Western Freeway between Melton and Caroline Springs, and they build on a business case, jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments, to determine the priority upgrades funded through the billion-dollar investment.

“The Australian and Victorian Labor Governments are working together to deliver this vital upgrade for Melbourne’s west.

“We are getting money out the door and detailed planning underway, so we can get this project to a point where it is construction-ready and we can start building.

“The population of Melbourne’s west has been booming, but the Liberals starved Victoria of the funding needed to build key infrastructure. The Albanese Government is investing in the roads and rail Victoria needs, in partnership with the Victorian Government,” Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said.

The section of the Western Freeway between Melton and Caroline Springs sees more than 86,000 vehicles travelling on this corridor each day, but as the population in Melbourne’s west continue to grow, that number is anticipated to increase to about 113,000 by 2031.

This major road upgrade will help improve capacity and safety for passengers and freight travelling along this key route.

“Our community deserves infrastructure that keeps pace with our growing suburbs in Melbourne’s west.

“The Western Freeway is already at capacity in peak times, and this investment is another step towards getting the upgrades our community needs,” Federal Member for Gorton Alice Jordan-Baird said.

Pre-construction began in April of this year, and this phase of the upgrade will inform the next round of funding decisions as well as construction timeframes for works along this corridor.

Options being explored to upgrade the Western Freeway between Harkness Road and Christies Road include:

• Additional road lanes
• New interchanges and overpasses
• Upgrades to existing interchanges
• Upgrades to walking and cycling paths
• Traffic signal and street lighting improvements
• Public transport facilities

“As Melbourne’s west continues to grow, these works will help pave the way for future upgrades that keep people moving safely and support the needs of local communities for years to come,” VIC Member for Kororoit Luba Grigorovitch said.

“This investment is an important step toward future upgrades along the Western Freeway that will improve safety, boost capacity and deliver more reliable journeys for families in Melbourne’s west,” VIC Member for Melton Steve McGhie said.

Source: Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government; Victoria’s Big Build – Big Build Roads; Infrastructure Magazine