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Victoria’s Big Build progress during stage four lockdown

The Victorian Government has released details of its major transport project’s progress over stage four lockdown and plans to accelerate into spring.

All construction and maintenance work carried out under stage four restrictions will operate under a High Risk COVID Safe plan. Workforce numbers have already been significantly reduced for works in the Big Build following directions from the Chief Health Officer.

Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said these critical projects are building a better transport system, while supporting local jobs and Victoria’s economy.

“The safety of our workforce and the community is our priority – we are taking strict precautions to ensure our critical transport infrastructure projects can safely continue under coronavirus restrictions.”

West Gate Tunnel

Works are continuing on this major project along Millers Road with the inbound ramps to close for six weeks from Friday 21 August. This will enable teams to shift and rebuild the ramps as the project works to widen the West Gate Freeway from eight to 12 lanes.

The section of Millers Road underneath the freeway in Altona North will also be shut for September, with a one week closure of the Geelong-bound on ramp at Forsyth Road to improve access to the Princes Freeway.

Mordialloc Freeway

Governer Road in Braeside will be shut for six weeks from late August as part of the Mordialloc Freeway works. This will enable crews to begin building a bridge over the road. They will also start to construct new turning lanes to enter and exit the freeway.

Monash Freeway

The Monash Freeway will see a series of overnight closures in August and September between the South Gippsland Freeway and Princes Highway. Crews will be installing new smart overhead lane use management signs. These will give the 470,000 daily motorists live traffic incident information.

North East Link

Crews on the North East Link will work to relocate a 2.5 kilometre gas main with night works taking place along Greensborough Road.

The Metro Tunnel

All four tunnel boring machines used on the Metro Tunnel are in production underneath the city. The machines are building what will be twin nine kilometre tunnels between Kensington and South Yarra.

Upgrades on the Sunbury Line are also continuing in preparation for the Metro Tunnel. Track, power and platform upgrades will prepare for the modern Metro Tunnel Trains. As a result busses will replace trains on parts of the Sunbury and Bendigo lines in mid-November.

Level crossing removals

During spring works will continue on 15 level crossing projects around Melbourne. Works are now underway on the Upfield line corridor to build two new stations and remove four level crossings.

The Cranbourne Line upgrades also continue duplicating eight kilometres of track and removing another four level crossings. These works will take the line one step closer to being Melbourne’s first crossing-free corridor.

At Eumemmering Creek, piling and earth works will begin alongside critical power and signalling equipment installations along the line. The boom gates will also be relocated to prepare for construction of a new rail bridge.

On the Frankston line busses will replace trains for a week in early September as crews prepare power, signalling and utility works before the removal of five level crossings at Edithvale, Chelsea and Bonbeach.

Tram network 

Essential maintenance of the tram network will be carried out in Malvern, South Melbourne, Parkville and Pascoe Vale South with busses replacing trams for a week in October on routes 48 and 75. The tram stabling in East Melbourne will also be upgraded, boosting capacity for trams during special events.

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