Work has commenced on the Victorian Government’s largest ever investment to upgrade Melbourne’s arterial road network - the $4 billion Suburban Roads Upgrade - that will improve congestion and travel times delivered through 22 key road projects.
The first of the roads projects to commence is the Dohertys Road Upgrade - which is part of the $1.8 billion Western Roads Upgrade that was funded through last year’s budget. The Western Roads Upgrade will involve road widening, duplications as well as intersection upgrades to eight congested roads in Melbourne’s western region over the next three years.
The Dohertys Road Upgrade will include the construction of additional lanes in each direction between Fitzgerald Road and Grieve Parade as well as a second bridge over the Princes Freeway and upgrades to five intersections along the route. This upgrade will also include installing new traffic lights at Fitzgerald Road and Hume Road, a new cyclist and pedestrian overpass at Federation Trail, and additional walking and cycling paths.
“Dohertys Road is a critical link for the local community in Laverton North - and this upgrade marks the start of the biggest ever investment in roads in Melbourne’s growing outer suburbs,” Member for Tarneit Telmo Languiller said.
Dohertys Road carries approximately 20,000 vehicles a day and it serves a key link and vital freight route between industrial areas in the western suburbs, nearby freeways and the Port of Melbourne.
The upgrade on Dohertys Road is aimed at improving travel times, slashing congestion, removing heavy vehicles from local roads, improving freight links as well as separating cyclists and pedestrians from busy traffic along the route.
Major construction activities on the other seven projects under the Western Roads Upgrade are going to be done in stages. The entire project is expected to be completed by 2021.
“These projects will fix the suburban roads people in Melbourne’s west rely on, so that they can spend less time stuck in traffic and more time with friends and family doing the things they enjoy,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.
The $4 billion Suburban Roads Upgrade is comprised of $2.2 billion from the 2018-19 State Budget to upgrade 13 arterial roads in the northern and south-eastern suburbs, and the $1.8 billion Western Roads Upgrade from last year’s budget.
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Source: Premier of Victoria; VIC Roads
