Australia's A$194 Million Ison Road Project Opens Three Months Ahead of Schedule

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 4, the Ison Road project in western Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, opened to traffic three months ahead of schedule. The project, with a total investment of A$194 million, includes a new road bridge over the Melbourne–Geelong railway line and a 1.3-kilometer four-lane extension road, connecting the Werribee area, Geelong Road, and the Princes Freeway interchange.

The rail bridge investment amounts to A$114 million, jointly funded by the Australian Federal Government and the Victorian State Government; the road extension connecting the bridge involves an investment of A$80 million, funded by the Wyndham City Council, with the delivery managed by VicRoads on behalf of the council. The new corridor is now open to motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. The Victorian Government projects that by 2036, the road will carry more than 29,000 vehicles daily.

Decmil is responsible for the design and construction of the rail bridge and the extension road. The bridge features a dual-span structure, currently configured with two lanes in each direction, with the bridge deck and embankments designed to accommodate a future widening to six lanes. The scope of the extension works includes drainage culverts crossing beneath the road, relocation and protection of existing utilities, as well as provisions for bus stops, safety barriers, road signage, and lighting facilities.

Delivered facilities also include upgrades to the intersection of Geelong Road and Werribee Main Road, new traffic signals, and pedestrian and cycling paths. Active transport facilities are provided along the rail bridge and extension road, with a dedicated cycling path beneath the bridge that connects to surrounding existing trails.

Subsequent works include a new intersection at Ison Road and Werribee Main Road, as well as a new roundabout on the Princes Freeway off-ramp toward Melbourne's city center, scheduled to commence in the coming months. Following the opening of the new road, the removal of the nearby Galvin Road level crossing is also set to proceed, a crossing currently used by more than 10,300 vehicles daily. Finishing works, including landscaping, street lighting, road markings, and the final asphalt surfacing, will continue until the end of 2026.