Project Spotlight: $1.3 billion CityLink Tulla widening project in Melbourne
As part of the $1.3 billion CityLink Tulla Widening project, upgrades have begun on the CityLink between Bulla Road and Bell Street. The wideing will involve upgrades to 24 kilometres of CityLink and the Tullamarine Freeway. Once the project is completed, congestion will be reduced and provide a more efficient and smoother journey.
"We're getting on with the job of delivering the projects our state needs. This will mean less congestion on CityLink and Tulla for motorists and more jobs for Victoria"
- Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews
A $200 million budget has been allotted by the Australian Government for the upgrade of Section 1 from Melbourne Airport to Melrose Drive as the Tullamarine Freeway is one of Melbourne's busiest road corridors according to Paul Fletcher, the Federal Minister for Major Projects.
According to Victorian Road Minister, Luke Donnellan, the entire project will increase road capacity up to 30 percent, and this will be able to support growth due to the Melbourne Airport as well as the growing northern and north-western suburbs.
Bulla Road to Power Street Upgrade
Leighton Contractors and Transurban has partnered up to deliver the upgrades and widening works between Bulla Road and Power Street. Works started on October 5th and the following construction activities are underway:
| Location |
Upcoming works |
When |
What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pascoe Vale South |
Establishing of work sites alongside CityLink corridor |
From Oct |
Changed traffic conditions and partial lane closures on Winona Grove, Marsden Avenue, Wentworth Avenue, The Boulevard, Wallace Crescent, Coonans Avenue |
| Strathmore |
Construction works to widen the Moonee Ponds Creek bridge north of Wallace Crescent and the Wheeler Street underpass |
From Oct |
Establishment of work sites Diversion of the Moonee Ponds Creek trail |
| Strathmore |
Site compound at the end of the Pascoe Vale Road exit ramp |
From 6 Oct |
Establishment of site compound for our workers and laydown area for materials Changed traffic conditions on Pascoe Vale Road exit ramp |
| Flemington Road to Moreland Road |
Establishing of work sites along CityLink corridor and a site compound at the Reggio Calabria Club. Shared Use Path (SUP) diversions around Flemington Road exit, Ormond Park and Holbrook Reserve |
Oct |
Mount Alexander Road eastern footpath, Flemington, closed between Moonee Ponds Creek Trail and Boundary Road. Detour is to use the western footpath from tram stop to Boundary Road. View the detour map. |
| Flemington Road and Moreland Road |
Service locating |
Oct-Nov |
Locating of underground services in and around work sites |
Source: economicdevelopment.vic.gov.au
Melbourne Airport to Bulla Road
Delivered by VicRoads, the freeway widening and upgrade works between Melbourne Airport in Tullamarine and Bulla Road in Essendon Fields will include:
- One additional lane in each direction between Melbourne Airport and Bulla Road
- A new strtucture with dedicated lanes from the Tullamarine Freeway and Mickleham Road to the M80 Ring Road inbound to ease congestion and reduce traffic weaving
- An extra ;ane entering the Tullamarine Freeway city bound from Mickleham Road
- Reconstruction and widening of the English Street overpass and all ramps to increase capacity into and out of Essendon Fields
- Ramp signals on the city bound entry from Kings Road in Taylors Lakes to the Tulla Calder interchange to regulate the flow of traffic getting onto the Tullamarine Freeway from the Calder Freeway
Source: economicdevelopment.vic.gov.au
Project Benefits
In order to reduce congestion and improve the safety on the road, the CityLink Tulla Widening project will include:
- Extra lanes on the Bolte Bridge
- A new lane on the West gate Freeway (eastbound) between Bolte Bridge and Power Street
- Construction of a new Bell Street to Pascoe Vale Road connection, include a new bridge over CityLink and the Craigieburn train line
- Two new dedicated lanes to Bell Street, from the Tullamarine Freeway and Calder Freeway
- A new dedicated lane from the Tullamarine Freeway and Mickleham Road to the Western Ring Road
- An extra lane in each direction from the Airport Bulla Road
Some significant benefits that the project will bring are:
- A 30 percent increase in capacity, meaning reduced congestion for existing freeway users and room for future growth
- Travel time savings per trip between Melbourne Airport and the West gate Freeway during peak periods - on average drivers will save 16 minutes in the morning peak and 17 minutes in the afternoon peak
- A reduction in commercial vehicles using local roads, as 3000 more commercial vehicles will be able to access the freeway (2300 of which will be heavy vehicles)
- A reduction in casualty crashes of up to 20 percent
"This project represents an important partnership between the Australian Government, Victorian Government and private enterprise working together to provide much needed city-shaping infrastructure in Victoria"
- Paul Fletcher, Federal Minister for Major Projects
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