The Craigieburn Road Upgrade project in Melbourne’s north is in full swing, with several major road closures to help fast-track works over the school holiday period.
This project will upgrade intersections, build better walking, cycling and public transport connections, and add extra lanes between Hume Highway and Mickleham Road.
From this week, a major construction blitz will aim to complete nine months of work in seven weeks, with crews working around-the-clock.
The road to completion begins at the eastern end of the project between Hanson Road and Hume Highway. From late February residents will enjoy upgraded intersections at Hume Highway and at Hardy Avenue/Walter Street, allowing for better and safer access to key locations such as the Craigieburn Train Station, Craigieburn Plaza and surrounding businesses, as well as improved access to the Hume Highway.
This will be followed by the opening of the Mickleham Road intersection at the western end of the project to its final arrangement in March.
Much of the summer’s work will forge ahead around Craigieburn Plaza – which itself will remain accessible at all times – with a 24/7 closure between the Hume Highway and Hanson Road intersections from Tuesday 10 January to Tuesday 28 February.
When this intensive major works period wraps up, drivers can look forward to better access to the Hume Highway from Craigieburn Road.
Adding more through and turning lanes at Hume Highway-Craigieburn Road will help clear congestion at the suburb’s busiest intersection, with approximately 50,000 motorists moving through this critical juncture every day.
Traffic lights are also replacing the roundabout at Hardy Avenue to allow traffic to flow more smoothly to and from an improved Hume Highway-Craigieburn Road intersection.
Across the seven weeks of works, drivers will be able to access the Hume Highway by using local roads, as well as Grand Boulevard to the north and Somerton Road to the south.
As Craigieburn Road will be closed between Hanson Road and Hume Highway, intersections at Hardy Avenue, Benston Street and Healey Street will also be closed, with local access maintained for businesses and residents.
Craigieburn Plaza will remain open and will be accessible via Hanson Road and Hamilton Street.
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With school holidays underway, crews will take advantage of reduced traffic volumes to upgrade the Bridgewater Road intersection. Bridgewater Road will be closed between Craigieburn Road and Clovelly Drive from Tuesday 10 January to Wednesday 25 January.
Crews are also fast-tracking the construction of new lanes along Aitken Boulevard, which will be closed from Tuesday 10 January to Tuesday 28 February.
During this time, key local roads will reopen, beginning with Vantage Boulevard, Waterview Boulevard and Bridgewater Road.
The Hume Highway intersection is one of seven to be upgraded on Craigieburn Road between Mickleham Road and Hume Highway – with traffic lights to be added to Balyang Way, Dorchester Street and Cimberwood Drive, while roundabouts will be replaced with traffic lights at Waterview Boulevard and Hardy Avenue.
Craigieburn Road connects growing residential areas in the north to key routes, nearby freeways, and the Melbourne Airport.
Its upgrade aims to improve journey times, slash congestion, improve public transport connections, and cyclist and pedestrian safety.
“Our biggest road transport infrastructure project in Melbourne’s outer north will transform how you travel, improving safety and reliability, with construction supporting hundreds of jobs,” said Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Jacinta Allan.
“We’re taking advantage of lighter holiday traffic to get on with significant work – providing a better road network and making it easier for people to travel around Craigieburn.”
The Craigieburn Road Upgrade is scheduled for completion by 2025.
For more on the Craigieburn Road Upgrade, visit: www.bigbuild.vic.gov.au