Laing O’Rourke has been awarded the contract to deliver the Bridge Inn Road Upgrade in Melbourne’s north. The project forms part of a $2.27 billion Suburban Roads Upgrade – South Eastern Roads and Northern Roads package to upgrade suburban roads across the south eastern and northern parts of Melbourne.
The upgrade will include the duplication of 3.5 kilometres of Bridge Inn Road from two lanes to four lanes from Plenty Road to Yan Yean Road, improving access to Mernda Railway Station and Mernda Town Centre.
The upgrade also includes the installation of a new walking and cycling path along Bridge Inn Road, as well as the installation of safety barriers. Three new signalised intersection and a pedestrian crossing will also be installed, along with street lighting, road signage, drainage and landscaping.
A new bridge will also be built over the Plenty River, with the existing bluestone Morang Bridge to be retained and upgraded. The 154-year-old heritage bridge will be repurposed into a walking and cycling path.
Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said the Bridge Inn Road Upgrade will help reduce travel times and improve congestion across the northern suburbs.
“By alleviating congestion on roads like this one, we’re helping people to get home to their families sooner and safer, we’re helping freight move more quickly between our cities, and we’re generating jobs across the country,” Fletcher said.
Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said the upgrade would improve access to Mernda Railway Station and Mernda Town Centre.
“Adding additional lanes in each direction will slash congestion and create safer journeys for the thousands of drivers who rely on Bridge Inn Road every day,” Minister Allan said.
“We’re delivering the projects Victorians need – making it easier and more accessible for locals to get to where they need to go.”
The Federal and Victorian governments are contributing $1.1 billion each for the package.
Major construction on the Bridge Inn Road Upgrade is expected to start in the first half of 2022 and be completed by 2025.
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