Upgrades to Victoria’s Western Freeway are almost complete with final asphalting works underway, providing safer journeys on one of the State’s most important travel routes.
More than $9.2 million of asphalting works are nearing completion on sections of the freeway between Hopetoun Park to Leigh Creek and Gordon to Myrniong as part of the Victorian Government’s $770 million major road maintenance blitz.
It comes on top of major works at multiple locations including Western Highway at Windermere and Trewalla.
The Western Freeway is a key freight route for agricultural industries to get their goods to market, serving as an important connection for commuters to jobs and services in Melbourne, Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh and Melton.
Crews will be on-site at multiple locations along the freeway, with reduced speeds and traffic management in place for the safety of road workers and the whole community.
The works are scheduled for completion by the end of May 2024, weather permitting.
The funding for these works is part of the State Government’s $6.6 billion, ten-year, investment towards road maintenance and renewal works, including flood recovery.
As part of the current state-wide maintenance program, crews are continuing to mow, slash and spray grass and weeds across more than 45,000km of the state’s roadsides, repair or replace thousands of signs, deliver emergency road repairs and respond to emergency call-outs from the community.
The Victorian Government introduced performance-based road maintenance contracts in 2023, which is providing Victorians with better value for money, less disruptions during works, and higher-quality road maintenance where it is needed most.
Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Melissa Horne, said that the government is supporting one of Victoria’s fastest growing regions by upgrading the Western Freeway – the West’s busiest freight and travel route.
“This upgrade means getting produce to market faster, a smoother ride for workers and a safer journey for families.