Vital West Gate Bridge maintenance works complete

‘Once-in-a-generation’ repainting works have been completed on Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge, helping to keep it strong and stable for decades to come.

Protective coatings specialists McElligotts, along with CPB Contractors and BASE Industries, delivered the $70 million facelift, which involved stripping the bridge back and refreshing the entire steel structure below deck level for the first time in 40 years.

Hanging under the bridge on suspended platforms – 58 metres above ground and water – a dedicated team of around 70 stripped the existing surface to the bare metal, before applying several coats of paint.

More than 55,000 litres of anti-corrosive paint were used across an 848-metre steel section of the bridge. A similar shade of grey was used for most of the bridge, with the bridge props painted white for contrast.

The paint job is an important part of maintaining the bridge and protecting the steel structure from corrosion.

Ben Carroll, Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety, said ongoing maintenance would keep the iconic bridge standing strong for decades.

“A dedicated, hard-working team of specialists has been working through all seasons over the past three years to complete major repainting works to protect it from Melbourne’s adverse weather,” he said.

A further $27.2 million is being invested for ongoing maintenance of the bridge, which is a vital river crossing and gateway to Melbourne’s western suburbs.

Since opening in 1978, the volume of daily traffic on the West Gate Bridge has increased from 40,000 vehicles to around 205,000.

The ongoing works will assist in keeping the bridge structurally sound and safe, reduce lane closures, and keep vehicles moving.

For more information, visit: www.mcelligotts.com.au